Kumasi, Aug. 13, GNA - The Ghana Co-operative Distillers Association has embarked on a nation-wide sensitisation and re-organisation programme to reposition the association to play its role effectively in the socio-economic development of the nation.

The programme aimed at resuscitating all dormant society and district branches throughout the country to ensure the production of quality local gin (Akpetesie) and the mobilisation of requisite revenue to the government to support its developmental agenda. Nana Akuoko Kwarteng, National President of the association, announced this at a meeting of society and district secretaries, checkers, distillers and sellers of Akpetesie in the Ashanti region in Kumasi on Friday.

The meeting was to brief the members on the outcome of a Koforidua High court ruling, which had given judgement in favour of the association to sell waybills to all distillers in the country. Nana Kwarteng said the ruling placed an enormous challenge on the association to position itself properly to satisfy all distillers in the country.

He said the society and district secretaries had an enormous role to play in the exercise and said more secretaries would be employed and paid fully by the association to enable them discharge their duties effectively.

Nana Kwarteng expressed concern about derogatory remarks made by some people towards the local gin and urged members of the association to help promote and protect the image of the drink. He called on the members to be disciplined and embrace the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to meet their health needs. Mr. Samuel Adjaklo, National Secretary of the Association warned the secretaries against under- invoicing of waybills and said the association had set itself a revenue target, which they should achieve. He urged members to welcome their colleagues who left the association but wanted to come back to join them.