The Company was adjudged the "Consumption Promotion Organisation (Honorary category) 2019" at the first Ghana Cocoa Awards, which took place in Accra over the weekend.

The event also saw 36 other organisations and individuals honored for various contributions towards the growth and development of the Cocoa sector.

It is the first awards, since 140 years ago when local Blacksmith, Tetteh Quarshie first brought the cocoa beans to the then Gold Coast from Fernando Po, now Equatorial Guinea.

According to the sector regulator, the Ghana cocoa board, cocoa offers direct employment to about 800 thousand people and provides a livelihood for some 6 million others.

Over the decades, the golden pod's importance transcended financial assistance to areas including; infrastructure, health and nutrition, cosmetics, education and research.

The Ghana cocoa awards, a private and independent initiative is meant to recognise outstanding achievements mainly, but not limited to cocoa industry.

Since 2017, when the Free SHS begun, NAFCO  has been promoting Cocoa Powder to state boarding High Schools with the twin aim of improving diet intake and encouraging the consumption of cocoa products among young people.

It is believed NAFCO has for the past three years supplied the cocoa product to some 1.7 million students nationwide.

The Company's Head of Operations, Mr. Kofi Amankwah and Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr. Emmanuel J.K Arthur received the Awards on behalf of NAFCO.

Commenting on the latest recognition, Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Hanan Abdul-Wahab said the honour would inspire the company to do more in the coming years.

"We dedicate it to our Cocoa farmers, our Licensed Suppliers and the Minister for Education who gave us the opportunity to contribute our quota towards the successful implementation of the Free SHS initiative", he added.

Cocoa Powder is one of 18 food commodities supplied by NAFCO to schools under the Free SHS.

Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Cocoa Board, Mr. Joseph Boahene Aidoo won the topmost the Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Personality 2019 Award.

Other award winners were former President J.A Kufuor for Cocoa Lifetime Achievement Award; former Chief Executive of Cocoa Board, Mr. Anthony Fofie; and Agricultural Development Bank for Cocoa financing among others.