New Edubiase (Ash), Dec. 8, GNA - Mr Yaw Ahenkora Afrifa, Ejisu-Juaben District Chief Executive, has won the Adansi South Best District Cocoa Farmer Award of the Produce Buying Company (PBC) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).

For his prize, he took home a solar lantern, a cutlass and a certificate.

Mr Ahenkora Afrifa produced 599 bags of cocoa for the year 2004 - 2005 cocoa season. Speaking at the award ceremony at New Edubiase on Tuesday, Mr Kusi Appiah, New Edubiase District 'B' Manager of the PBC, announced that the Company purchased a total of 70,000 bags of cocoa from farmers in the two cocoa districts.

Mr Francis Dorpenyoh, Adansi South District Chief Executive, commended the cocoa farmers in the district for their hard work and dedication and advised the farmers to desist from spending their money on unimportant things but should save with the banks and invest in their children's education.

The DCE appealed to the farmers not to politicise the capitation grant scheme, the free-feeding programme and the mass cocoa spraying exercise but to join hands with the Government to move the country forward.

Mr Dorpenyoh cautioned the purchasing clerks in the District, who bought cocoa beans that were not well fermented and dried to desist from such acts because if it continued it could ruin the image of the cocoa industry on the international market.

Mrs Ahenkora Afrifa, who received the award on behalf of her husband, thanked the Management of PBC for the honour and promised to work hard to increase their output this year.

In all the PBC honoured 26 farmers from the two cocoa districts with the first four winners receiving solar lanterns, cutlasses and certificates.

The rest were also given pairs of Wellington boots, cutlasses and certificates.