COCOBOD BUILDS CAPACITY OF RESEARCH OFFICERS TO SERVE REMOTE COCOA FARMING COMMUNITIES

Date: 26th January 2021

The Deputy Director of Research in charge of Research and Evaluation at Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Mr. Michael Owusu-Manu has cautioned research officers working with the Board to be guided by the principles provided under the Roads Safety Policy and the Board’s Health and Safety policy in the discharge of their duties.

Mr. Owusu-Manu gave the advice during the opening ceremony of a two-week capacity building programme at the Bunso Cocoa College aimed at equipping about 35 Monitoring and Evaluation Officers of the Research Department from all cocoa regions in Ghana with knowledge and skills in motor riding for official duties.

“Remember safety is the primary reason we are training you. The principles of road safety and Ghana Cocoa Board’s Health and Safety policy must be your guide throughout the training, especially during the practical aspect”, Mr. Owusu-Manu advised.

The Manager responsible for Training and Manpower Development, Mrs. Eunice Antwi disclosed that management had procured motorbikes to ensure that cocoa farms within remote communities receive the necessary technical support throughout the cocoa season.

She added that various training programmes were being designed to boost the capacity of the Monitoring and Evaluation team and assured the trainees that their professional proficiency would continuously be improved through regular training.

Chief Executive of the Road Safety and Transportation Consultancies Limited (RSTC), facilitators of the training, Dr. Godfred Akyea-Darkwa commended the Board for proactively improving the quality of staff riders and drivers through regular road management science training.

He said human error is the highest risk factor for road accidents in the country and added the situation could be reduced drastically through regular training and education as adopted by Ghana Cocoa Board.

On behalf of the trainees, Mr. George Akoto Mensah from the Twifo Praso Station thanked management for making the safety of COCOBOD staff a top priority.

He also expressed gratitude for the capacity building opportunities available to staff and gave the assurance that the knowledge and skills to be acquired from the training in motor riding skills will be applied to their daily operations.