School meals to include cocoa drink

The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) is to introduce cocoa drinks in the menu for schoolchildren so as to boost their nutritional needs.

The Coordinator of the GSFP, Mr S.P. Adamu, who disclosed this in an interview with the Junior Graphic, said his outfit would meet with the officials of the Ghana Cocoa Processing Company and the COCOBOD and see how best to implement it.

Mr Adamu explained that the GSFP was introduced to address hunger and improve the health and nutritional status  of children, therefore, a cup of cocoa was initially part of the meal programme but that was not implemented. 

He noted that the decision to introduce  a drink of cocoa  was because of its  high nutritional value which would  promote  the growth of the children.

Mr Adamu mentioned the belief that when children were introduced  to the cocoa products early in life, they would grow up being exposed to them and would love consuming them even in adulthood.

If that habit is nurtured, he said, there would be the creation of a ready market for the cocoa products produced by the country and thereby, create wealth for rural households.

 Mr Adamu noted that the President of Ghana, Mr John Mahama, had taken a keen interest in providing schoolchildren with the cocoa drink and gave the assurance that serious work was ongoing to start serving schoolchildren with cocoa drinks as soon as possible.