Accra, Dec. 5, GNA - The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has given all Licensed Cocoa Buying Companies (LBCs) up to December 15, this year to make full payment of 2006-07 bonuses to eligible cocoa farmers, or face the appropriate sanctions.

A statement signed by Mr Charles B. Ntim, deputy Chief Executive of COCOBOD in-charge of Operations, said even though the company had released the full amounts to the LBCs, most of them had not paid the farmers.

"We are further informed that a few LBCs who have made some payments to farmers have been doing so on piecemeal basis," the statement said and warned that it was an offence to fail or delay in payment of the bonuses.