Accra, Dec. 23, GNA - The National Executive Committee of the Ghana Cocoa Coffee Sheanut Farmers Association has confirmed Alhaj Alhassan Bukari, the Northern Regional Chief Farmer, as the substantive President of the Association.

Members of the Committee made up of all the Regional Chief Farmers unanimously confirmed Alhaj Bukari as the national President at a meeting= in Accra on Tuesday following the vacancy created by the resignation of Nana=

Yiadom Boakye six months ago.

Alhaj Bukari was the Vice President of the Association and acted as the President for six months.

The Regional Chief Farmers enumerated the practical achievements of Alhaj Bukari that culminated in the improvement of good working relations=

with the Ghana Cocoa Board and the government.

They commended the new President for placing the Association on a high pedestal by not only hitting the one million-ton target Cocobod set for the Association that should be achieved by 2011 but also ensuring that the members have collaboration with Ghana Cocoa Board, Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning and Agriculture.

The members commended the new President for initiating projects when he was the acting President and these facilities would ensure that the Association stands financially firm to undertake its duties of assisting local farmers to develop and pledged their support for him.

Alhaj Bukari thanked the Chief Farmers for the confidence reposed in him and promised to work harder with the NEC to improve the lot of members of=

the Association. Alhaji Imoro Alhassan, an executive member of the Northern Region branch of the Association, welcomed the elevation of Alhaji Bukari and called for collaboration to ensure that farm inputs are supplied on time to farmers and to encourage especially small-scale and commercial farmers to=

improve their output.