New-Sawireso (B/A) Oct. 6, GNA - A traditional ruler in Brong Ahafo has urged the COCOBOD to encourage the dual use of cash and the Akuafo cheque for the purchase of cocoa by licensed buying companies.

Nana Agyemang Duah, chief of New-Sawireso and a prominent cocoa farmer, explained the measure would serve the interest of cocoa farmers better and also reduce the smuggling of the commodity to neighbouring countries. The chief told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that some farmers walk about 30 kilometres to the nearest bank to cash their money.

He stressed that aside of the long distance that they cover, "the woes of the farmers are sometimes compounded by the inability of the banks to have cash for them and they have to return home empty-handed." This situation compels some farmers to sell their produce in neighbouring countries where they receive spot cash without any hustle," he said. COCOBOD introduced the Akuafo cheque to streamline the internal purchase of cocoa and to inculcate the habit of savings in the farmers.