Kokoben (Ash), Feb 15, – The
Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) is urging the inclusion of cocoa products in the
school feeding menu.
Mr. Peter Achampong, the Ashanti
Regional Manager, said deliberate efforts should be made to increase the
consumption of cocoa because of the tremendous health benefits.
He was speaking at a public forum
held at Kokoben in the Atwima-Kwanwoma District to highlight the need to
develop strong taste for cocoa.
He indicated that cocoa was good
for the vitality of children and had proven to aid their growth and
development.
Mr. Achampong added that the way
to tackle the growing obesity among Ghanaian children was to feed or encourage
them to eat foods with less calories.
The forum was organized by the
GTA as part of activities to mark this year’s national chocolate day under the
theme “Eat Ghana, eat chocolate”.
It provided the platform for
professional nutritionists and dieticians to guide the people on recipes for
cocoa pastries.
Mr. Achampong said he found it
deeply upsetting that despite the huge benefits from the consumption of cocoa
products, not much had been done to get Ghanaians to eat cocoa.
He suggested the reduction of the
prices of cocoa products including chocolate and said that was necessary to
enable everybody to patronize them.
Mrs. Gifty Amissah, a
nutritionist, applauded the GTA for prioritizing the consumption of cocoa.
The celebration of the day, she
noted, could help create awareness among the population about the gains they
stood to derive from the eating of cocoa.
As part of the programme, there
was free distribution of chocolate to school children, teachers and the general
public.
Mrs. Amissah taking some students
through recipes for cocoa pastries
GNA
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