The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has used the National Chocolate Week celebrations to educate students of Achimota School on the value of cocoa and the benefits of consuming locally produced chocolate.
Addressing hundreds of students in Accra, GTA Chief Executive Officer, Maame Efua Houadjeto, walked the students through the entire cocoa value chain, from farm harvesting and drying to processing and chocolate production. She highlighted the vital role of cocoa farmers in sustaining livelihoods and stressed the quality and global significance of Ghanaian cocoa, which accounts for about 70 per cent of the cocoa used worldwide.
“Cocoa is not merely an agricultural product; it represents history, resilience and opportunity,” she told students, noting that Ghana produces both conventional and organic cocoa, the latter grown without chemicals and nurtured with natural fertilizers.
Mrs Houadjeto also outlined the health benefits of cocoa, pointing out that natural Ghanaian chocolate contains between 40 and 92 per cent cocoa, making it richer in antioxidants than many foreign brands. She urged students to prioritize made-in-Ghana chocolate and highlighted the multiple by-products of cocoa, including cocoa powder, cream, syrups, and black soap, emphasizing that “nothing is wasted in the cocoa value chain.”
The CEO further stressed environmental stewardship, encouraging the students to protect soil, forests, and water bodies to ensure sustainable cocoa cultivation and safeguard Ghana’s heritage.
Abeku Aggrey, GTA Deputy CEO in charge of Marketing and Special Duties, added that the engagement aimed to promote patriotism, youth empowerment, and career awareness in the creative and tourism sectors.
The school’s Girls’ Senior Prefect, Cleopatra El-Husseini, described the visit as “an eye-opening experience” that deepened students’ understanding of the link between Ghanaian heritage and cocoa.
The session concluded with the GTA presenting boxes of locally made chocolate to students, reinforcing the Authority’s call for youth support of Ghana’s cocoa and chocolate industry.
