The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in the Upper East Region feted sick children at the Paediatric Department of the Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga, to cheer them up.

The celebration briefly halted activities at the Department as the children and their parents or guardians were served with chocolate drinks, bars of chocolate and other products made from cocoa, while toiletries and liquid soap were presented to the facility.

In a brief address to the media prior to the celebration, Mr Henry Yeleduor, the Upper East Regional Manager of the GTA, said his outfit in 2005 christened Valentine’s Day as the National Chocolate Day, and had since celebrated it with children to show love.

He said the Day, which was celebrated on the theme: “My chocolate experience, my holistic wellbeing,” was intended to inform members of the public about the benefits of consuming chocolates and products from cocoa as well as market the country’s cocoa.

Mr Yeleduor acknowledged the support of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts, the GTA, the Ghana Cocoa Board and the Cocoa Processing Company towards the celebration.

Dr Samuel Aborah, the Clinical Coordinator of the Upper East Regional Hospital, on behalf of the staff, management and patients of the facility thanked management of the GTA for the gesture.

He said “Eating chocolate is good for our health, let’s use this day to promote the eating of made in Ghana chocolate to boost local production of cocoa, I hope other organizations will emulate what Ghana Tourism Authority has done.”