The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has responded to allegations that it is not giving its hired mass cocoa sprayers the necessary medical attention due to worries about the toxicity of agrochemicals.
The Ghana National Association of Cocoa Farmers has made allegations about health issues affecting its members, including blindness and impotence, that are allegedly related to extended exposure to agrochemicals. This is in reaction to their accusations.
According to Fiifi Boafo, Head of Public Relations at COCOBOD, in a Citi News interview, the board makes sure contracted farmers who spray cocoa have routine medical examinations.
He denied the claims, emphasizing that none of the hired sprayers had shown any signs of them, according to the Cocoa Clinic.
“We are taken aback by these complaints because they are not issues we are familiar with. For the cocoa farms’ spraying operations, COCOBOD annually employs over 57,000 individuals who assist farmers across the nation. After each session, besides the routine evaluation conducted by the COCOBOD Research Institute, which samples and assesses the spraying activities, we also refer some individuals to the Cocoa Clinic for examination. Hence, claims of impotency and blindness are not ailments identified by the Cocoa Clinic” he explained.
