Management of Centuries International Cocoa-Chocolate Festival Organisation (CICFO), a private entity, has decided to serve breakfast daily to 40,000 school children in Accra and Tema to promote regular consumption of natural cocoa powder and bread.
The first phase of the pilot project forms part of the organisation's efforts to support government's policy on the School Feeding Programme in basic schools which seeks to enhance children's nutritional needs, health and promote quality education.
Mr Ben Amponsah Fordjour, Chief Executive Officer of CICFO, announced this at a press conference in Accra on Monday.
He extolled the medicinal value of consumption of natural cocoa powder and expressed the hope that daily intake of the beverage would enhance the nutritional needs of school children.
Although Mr Fordjour did not disclose the criteria for the selection of schools and pupils, he said the daily breakfast project would be replicated in 10 other districts in every region.
He said management had sought official permission from Ghana Education Service to undertake the project at 50 Ghana pesewas per pupil daily.
Mr Fordjour called on the public to consume cocoa beverage without sugar and milk stressing it had medicinal value.
He said daily consumption without additives such as milk and sugar cured ill-health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure,
arthritis, asthma, cancer, constipation and erectile dysfunction.
Mr James Agyenim Boateng, Deputy Minister of Information, said government was committed to sustaining the School Feeding Programme in a
manner that would support local producers.