It has emerged that $5 million out of a 600 million-dollar loan to boost the cocoa sector will be used to purchase chocolate for prison inmates, soldiers and students on the school feeding programme.
Ranking member on Agric, Food and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Eric Opoku revealed this on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, Thursday.
The move, according to Ghana Cocoa Board, is to promote consumption of cocoa products in the country.
They argue that, less than one percent of Ghana’s population consumes cocoa products so the initiative is to help bridge the gap.
But, Mr Opoku said the decision to use a whopping $5 million to buy chocolates is a total waste of resources.
“Why will you borrow to buy chocolate when other people go hungry? What sense does this make?” he quizzed.
Mr Opoku, also Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo South, said parents are capable of buying chocolates for their kids so the government must do the needful.
“I don’t think any soldier wants to eat chocolate because that is not their priority. They need more resources than cocoa products,” he said.
The Asunafo South MP charged the government to invest the $600 million cocoa loan on profitable ventures to boost the sector than wasting it on populists projects.