Oppong Nkrumah pleased over ‘no EU ban on Ghanaian cocoa’ report

Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has welcomed news from the European Union (EU) that there is no ban on cocoa from Ghana.

He described the report as ‘good news.’

“The process of improving the quality of Ghanaian cocoa should be a mutually agreed path that aligns our common interests. Good news,” the Ofoase Ayirebi lawmaker tweeted after the EU Ambassador to Ghana, Irchad Razaarly said Europe is not banning Ghana’s cocoa.

The process of improving the quality of Ghanaian cocoa should be a mutually agreed path that aligns our common interests. Good news. https://t.co/n0t4f7g8BW

— Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (@konkrumah) October 4, 2022

Mr Irchad Razaarly said the EU rather wants more of Ghana’s cocoa.

Speaking at the second Edition of Orange Cocoa Day 2022 in Accra, the European Union Ambassador to Ghana, Irchad Razaarly, said “The call for more sustainable cocoa production is growing globally. And our citizens in Europe are increasingly demanding measures for ensuring that cocoa and other commodities are produced in a socially environmental sustainable way. This explains EU’s legislation on afforestation and forest degradation and must not be seen as a threat to Ghana’s cocoa.”

“There is no ban on Ghana’s cocoa. On the contrary, we want more of Ghana’s cocoa, and we are in support of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire amongst all of the producers who meet these requirements.”

Earlier Mr Oppong Nkrumah has revealed that the Ghana Embassy in Belgium under the leadership of Ambassador Sena Boateng, has brought to the attention of the Government of Ghana that in Europe, there is a new legislation that could soon make Ghanaian cocoa and coffee unexportable to many international markets.

Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire need to act quickly to secure the industry while meeting the interests of European markets else millions of households and our entire economies could be significantly affected soon.

Thankfully, this work has started. Our task is to see it through. pic.twitter.com/jm8nyY9Ers

— Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (@konkrumah) September 30, 2022

Mr Oppong Nkrumah further indicated that the Embassy has also commenced work on realigning Ghanaian and European interests in cocoa and coffee.

“Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire need to act quickly to secure the industry while meeting the interests of European markets else millions of households and our entire economies could be significantly affected soon.

“Thankfully, this work has started. Our task is to see it through,” the Ofoase Ayirebi lawmaker tweeted.

“Earlier this week in Brussels, I chaired a 2 day forum on ”the future of Ghanaian cocoa and coffee value chains in the face of this new EU legislation”.

Source: 3news.com|Ghana