Akim Oda (E/R), April 7, GNA - The use of Akuafo cheques for cocoa purchases is still in force and both farmers and purchasing clerks are encouraged to patronise it, a quality control officer of industry regulator Cocobod has said.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Mr Kwadwo Kyei, Principal Quality Control Officer of COCOBOD, said it was an offence to use cash to buy cocoa. "It is equally an offence in the part of farmers not to accept Akuafo cheques as payment for their beans," he added. The Principal Officer admitted that there had not been strict enforcement of the cheque system over the years but added that measures had now been put in place to improve the system. He explained that cocoa farmers initially reluctantly embraced the idea due to occasional hitches they faced in cashing their moneys at the banks.

Mr Kyei advised farmers to be wary of Licensed Buying Companies who used hanging scales, instead of the platform scales to weigh cocoa bought from them. He urged the farmers to always record cocoa beans sold out in their passbooks.