In a move aimed at further supporting Ghana’s cocoa farmers, the government, through the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), is transforming the Cocoa Scholarship Scheme to cover tertiary education. This initiative, announced by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is expected to provide educational assistance to children of cocoa farmers at the university level.
This change follows the successful implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS) program, which has made secondary education universally accessible by covering costs for tuition, feeding, accommodation, books, and uniforms. Previously, the Cocoa Scholarship Scheme provided support at the senior high level, but with these expenses now covered by the Free SHS initiative, the government is reallocating resources to support students’ higher education.
Dr. Bawumia, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2024 election, announced the scholarship conversion on Friday, November 8, during the annual Farmers Day celebration in Jacobu, located in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region.
The Vice President highlighted several initiatives and investments in Ghana’s agriculture sector over the past eight years, which have strengthened Ghana’s position as the third most food-secure country in Africa. He underscored the government’s commitment to boosting agriculture and creating opportunities for farmers and rural communities.
“Our commitment to the growth of the agriculture sector has been unwavering, with many visible results,” Dr. Bawumia stated. “We have implemented the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, positively impacting food security, and constructed 80 warehouses under the One District One Warehouse initiative. Under the One Village One Dam initiative, 400 dams have been built, and 70% of the 169 factories under One District One Factory are dedicated to agro-processing.”
Dr. Bawumia also noted the government’s record-breaking increase in cocoa prices, raising the price per bag from GHS 475 in 2016 to GHS 3,000, the highest in Ghana’s history. He emphasized the success of the Cocoa Rehabilitation Programme, which involved replacing diseased trees and planting plantain suckers to provide a source of income to farmers as they wait for the cocoa trees to mature.
Acknowledging the essential role of farmers and fishers, Dr. Bawumia expressed deep gratitude for their contributions to food security and job creation. “Without you, we would not be here today,” he stated, pledging to establish District Agric Mechanization Centres to provide farmers with resources and training to increase productivity.
This announcement represents the government’s continued support for the agricultural community, reaffirming its commitment to not only improve farmers’ livelihoods but also to invest in the future of their children by making tertiary education more accessible.
