Wa, July 23, GNA - The Upper West Regional branch of the Sheanut Dealers Association, has called on the government to establish a separate body to oversee the development of the sheanut sector. The Association said the Ghana Cocoa Board, which has been vested with the powers to supervise and regulate the sheanut sector, has over the years paid very little attention to the production of the crop. Making the call at a news conference at Wa on Tuesday, the Association said the Board has failed the industry and a separate body was, therefore, necessary.

The conference was organized by the Association to react to certain issues raised by the Board and which was published in some newspapers July this month.

They said the Board, among others issues, said the Association had been illegally organising meetings in some parts of the country and at one of such meetings at Wa in June this year, GH¢50 was collected from each License Buying Company (LBC).

In addition companies were directed to pay GH¢1000 and GH¢20 by each buying agents before they could operate during the 2008/09 season. The Board said it was the only organization mandated to regulate the shea industry and therefore all LBCs should disregard call for any meeting by "any illegal Association of buyers". The Association, on the other hand, said the impression being created by the Board was false and deliberately meant to mislead Ghanaians as most of them were too distant from the sheanut industry in the country.

The sheanut dealers said although they appealed to companies for financial support to defray part of the cost of the workshop, no specified amount was mentioned. The registration fee of GH¢1,000 for LBCs and GH¢20 per agent were suggestions, which were left to the discretion of the companies. According to the Association, the money would be used to run workshop for farmers and also buy black stones, hand gloves, boots and other logistics for the farmers most of whom were usually victims of snake bites.

The companies, the sheanut dealers stated, told them that they would look into the suggestions and no company or individual had so far given them any money.

"We shall be grateful if the companies choose to help us but if they decided not to, we shall have nothing to do about it because it is not a force".