Bolgatanga-Soe (U/E), Feb. 13, GNA – The Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has presented chocolates and cocoa based products to Christians in the Bolgatanga Municipality as part of efforts marking this year’s National Chocolate Day.
The move was to further remind Ghanaians about the economic and health benefits of locally made chocolates and other cocoa related products and encourage local consumption.
Mr Henry Yeleduor, the Regional Director, GTA, after presenting some chocolates to congregants of Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Bolgatanga-Soe, explained that the celebration was in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the Cocoa Processing Company and the Cocobod.
It is held on the theme: “Eat chocolate, stay healthy, grow Ghana” with its sub-theme as “Our chocolate, our health, our wealth.”
Mr Yeleduor noted that chocolate had nutritional benefits, including controlling blood pressure, boosting immune system and slowing down aging and encouraged Ghanaians to consume cocoa- based products to stay healthy.
He said February was dubbed, “the month of love” and noted that chocolate also symbolised love and urged the general public to use the product to express love to their neighbours, especially the vulnerable.
Mr Yeleduor indicated that the local consumption of the chocolate and cocoa products would lead to increase in production and growth of the economy, complementing the foreign exchange earnings it brought to the country.
“Currently, cocoa is one of the major foreign exchange earners for Ghana, always competing with gold and once we consume, we are eating what we grow and that brings money into the economy, those who farm it and those who retail it will get money and generally the economy will benefit,” he added.
The Prayer Leader of the Church, Sir Robert Ayamga, on behalf of the congregants, expressed gratitude to the GTA for the gesture and education on the benefits of consuming cocoa-based products.
He, however, said the products were expensive and appealed to GTA and its partners to work to reduce the prices in the local markets to make them affordable and to encourage more people to patronise them.
GNA