[size=13pt]Nigeria Cocoa In Old Ghana Sacks[/size]

Nigeria is bagging cocoa into jute sacks embossed with the name, ‘Ghana Cocoa Board’ for export.A Nigeria newspaper, The Guardian has reported that the jute sacks abandoned in 2006 by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) because they did not meet international standards, have found their way to Nigeria through smuggling.

This development was exposed by the Centre for Cocoa Development Initiative, a Nigerian NGO, who has, in a statement, asked stakeholders in cocoa marketing, particularly those in Nigeria to wake-up to the challenge posed by the sub-standards sacks.

A press statement by the NGO’s Chief Operating Officer, Robo Adhuze, in the Guardian said the use of COCOBOD’s embossed bags in the packaging of cocoa beans was unacceptable and capable of causing major embarrassments for Nigeria. “For Nigeria, this could lead to loss of credibility on the international market as beans originating from Nigeria may be rejected due to the presence of hydro-carbon and other forms of contamination,” Mr. Adhuze said.

The statement said the use of hydrocarbon jute bags in packaging of cocoa beans had since 2006 been banned all over the world. “Food grade, a new hydrocarbon free jute bags, was introduced to replace the old hydrocarbon jute bags for health reasons” he said in the report.

According to Mr. Adhuze, the banned jute bags were implicated in health issues by chocolate consumers due to contamination which led consumers in Europe and America to use only food grade jute bags in producing countries.

Mr. Adhuze cautioned that the bags which are no more in use for packaging in Ghana were not safe for use by farmers, either in farms, during conveyance or storage. Reacting, Alhaji Dramani Egala, Deputy Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board in charge of operations, said the COCOBOD embossed sacks to sell in some countries in West Africa.” He said “the situation looks like Ghana is feeding those West African countries with quality hydrocarbon free jute bags imported from Bangladesh.”

In its attempt to curtail the trend, COCOBOD has decided to deface the sacks it uses as soon as the beans are emptied into the ships’ compartments for mega-bulk experts.

Alhaji Egala said factories operating in Ghana will also be asked to deface their sacks and also ensure that the empty sacks are well protected from smugglers. As to fears that the practice could affect Ghana, Alhaji Egala assured that there was no cause to panic since all export of beans has to be accompanied by a certificate of origin showing where the beans are originating from.

He said Ghana has a well established international market and solid institutional capacity to ensure that the grade of beans from Ghana meets the trust of its international buyers. “Any fake representation at the world market will be easily identified.”

Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, Member of Parliament for Mion Constituency and chairman of Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agriculture, and Cocoa Affairs was surprised by the news.He suggested that steps should be taken to address the issue immediately saying “if necessary, COCOBOD should stop embossing any sacks until they are ready to be used.” Dr. Alhassan said further steps should be taken to locate and retrieve the rejected hydrocarbon jute sacks in Ghana before any more could be smuggled outside.


Source . . .

Nigeria is bagging cocoa into jute sacks embossed with the name, ‘Ghana Cocoa Board’ for export. A Nigeria newspaper, The Guardian has reported that the jute sacks abandoned in 2006 by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) because they did not meet international standards, have found their way to Nigeria through smuggling.

What a shame for a supposedly giant of Africa!

He said Ghana has a well established international market and solid institutional capacity to ensure that the grade of beans from Ghana meets the trust of its international buyers

Can we beat our chest and say this for Nigeria boldly? I doubt.

This is a new "Low" for Nigeria. chai!!

Just giving Ghana the power to run its mouth on Nigeria.

Ileke-IdI:

Just giving Ghana the power to run its mouth on Nigeria.

I feel ashamed!

It is not a case of feeling ashamed. Nothing in Nigeria works, absolutely nothing, and more importantly, we Lack integrity. This is not new, there is nothing we do properly in that country, we cut corner with everything, and that has been our biggest problem. I bet there should have been someone supervising the process, where is he or her. If it was any other country, the government minister inchagre will be sacked, because Nigeria can easily be accused of fraud / impesonation.

Infact, I am going to blow this issue, until the idiot incharge, gets the sack.

The Ghanians could sue us for this.

If you can have fake nysc corpers  - then this is not news - 

Nigeria Cocoa In Old Ghana Sacks

is dat all. . .

philip0906:

is dat all. . .

This is a legal issue. This is like a local house cook, using mcdonalds to package its food.

He said Ghana has a well established international market and solid institutional capacity to ensure that the grade of beans from Ghana meets the trust of its international buyers. “Any fake representation at the world market will be easily identified.”

1. Does Nigeria not meet the trust or has no credibility in the international market?

2. Why must Nigeria go down this lane?

3. Since Ghana has worked hard to get its credibility, why cant Nigeria work towards the same goal?

@Kobo,

That is my worry, we already have a terrible reputation globally, we really dont need to add this rubbish to our already phucked up name. The minister in charge must be hounded down and sack.

This just shows the toatly lack of grasp of the offices in Nigeria by the various ministries. if you did a search in other ministries you would probably find similar

That can not be true, because nigeria cocoa quantity should be better than Ghana. I think they made up the story.
There use to be a time. when nigeria was number one.

Ghana is a super giant in cocoa business and so it is no surprise that they have developed their marketing (read bagging) system in light of international standards. Nigeria uses Ghana cocoa bags to enhance its international marketability of cocoa (since we are known for mediocrity). I only hope the bags are not the oluwole of the genuine ones in Ghana, and if they are genuine, that their use was authorized by the Ghananian authorities.

Instead of fixing the problem. They take the short cut.

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20,000pieces per container, 10 containers
For raw cashew nut
80kg per each

Please quote your best rate ,CIF cotonou , Benin

it is urgent ,

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