John Dramani Mahama considers adding cocoa to school feeding programme

President John Dramani Mahama met with a delegation from the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) on November 11 to discuss a landmark report on the health benefits and alternative industrial uses of cocoa. The engagement, held at the Jubilee House, served as a platform for the nation’s premier scholarly body to present research-driven recommendations aimed at enhancing both national nutrition and the domestic cocoa economy.

Central to the discussions was a collaborative report produced by the Academy and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD). The GAAS delegation proposed that the government formally integrate cocoa-based products into the National School Feeding Programme. This initiative is designed to improve the nutritional and cognitive health of students across the country while simultaneously creating a stable, government-backed market for local cocoa processors, thereby reducing the industry’s vulnerability to volatile international market prices.

Beyond agricultural and nutritional policy, the Academy raised concerns regarding the sustainability of scholarly institutions. The delegation requested the establishment of a dedicated building maintenance fund to preserve the Academy's physical infrastructure and ensure it remains a conducive environment for research. President Mahama acknowledged the vital role of GAAS in national development and indicated that his administration would look into sustainable funding models for the maintenance of such critical state assets.

In a broader address on governance, President Mahama also updated the delegation on the government's legislative priorities. He confirmed that a series of constitutional amendments are being finalized and are expected to be introduced to Parliament in the near future. The meeting underscores the administration’s intent to bridge the gap between academic research and executive policy-making, particularly as the government seeks to diversify the use of Ghana’s most significant cash crop.