By Henry Kokofu, former Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has issued a dire warning regarding a potential embargo on Ghana’s cocoa bean exports due to escalating illegal mining activities.
Kokofu and other environmental analysts voiced concerns over rising pollution levels, largely attributed to human activities.
Addressing these issues was emphasized during a public lecture at the Kumasi Technical University.
He underscored the critical role of the cocoa industry as a cornerstone of Ghana’s economy but highlighted the severe strain it faces due to illegal mining activities.
“It is important to note that the cocoa industry which has been the backbone of our economy is in dire straits because of illegal mining. Apart from depriving the farmlands and making it unavailable for farming, cocoa is being contaminated and very soon, the world market will come after us and cite contamination in our cocoa beans and that will be a very bad story for us as a people.”
