Ghana on Tuesday launched the 2020 National Chocolate Day celebrations with a call for patronage and usage of “Made in Ghana Chocolate”.

Mrs Barbara Oteng Gyasi, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts, who launched the programme, encouraged the use of chocolate as a ‘Gift of Love’ to all during the celebration.

This year’s celebration will commence from February 10 and climaxed on February 14, on the theme; “My Chocolate Experience: My Holistic Well-Being”.

Mrs Oteng Gyasi said the Ministry, in 2005, instituted the National Chocolate Day to coincide with Valentine‘s Day, February 14, to promote the consumption of Made-in-Ghana chocolate and cocoa based products.

She said it was also to position cocoa and the chocolate experience as a strong element of the Ghana tourism experience, saying this had been largely successful with the Day being an important feature of the tourism calendar of events.

She said this year’s celebration would begin with a Digital Campaign Competition where contestants would post a picture of themselves enjoying chocolate or any product produced with chocolate at a hospitality establishment on social media.

Contestants should tag the Ghana Tourism Authority with the hashtag #MyChocolateExperience#ChocolnteDey2020#lEatGhana.

The sector Minister noted that other activities for the celebration include a Cocoa Art Competition starting from Monday, February 10, where artists submit a painting depicting the Cocoa story, to the Accra Tourist Information Centre.

The winners of both competitions would be awarded on February 14.

“There will also be “MY CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCE” at the Cocoa Clinic on Wednesday February 12, where chocolate and other cocoa products will be shared to the patients and staff.

“The 2020 National Chocolate Day celebration will be observed at the Alia Hotels on February 14”.

Nana Agyemang Ansong, the Marketing Manager, Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), said the Chocolate Day, since its inception, had grown to become an important celebration on the National Calendar.

He said the celebration was very important as Ghana was known globally for the production of cocoa beans considered the best quality in the world.

He said over the years the Golden Tree brand had consistently and reliably played its role in observing the Day as it was used as gift and souvenirs and assured the public of the availability of sufficient products by the CPC.

Nana Ansong said this year’s theme was relevant because the organisers wished every Ghanaian to have his or her own experience with the good taste, pleasure and health benefits of Chocolate.

“Today, the National Chocolate day has become so attractive and prestigious that it has become a major tourist attraction in the country to contribute positively to tourism in Ghana. ”

He expressed the hope that each member of the family unit would have the opportunity to share a gift of Goldentree Chocolate, which is an epitome of the national pride, with their love ones.