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Cocoa Life Ghana Head Enstooled Development Chief of Mayenda

Yaa Peprah Amekudzi, the Ghana country lead of Mondelez International’s Cocoa Life Program, has been enstooled the Nkosuohen (Development Chief) of Mayenda, with the chieftaincy title Nana Okofo Apetu II.

She was officially outdoored on Friday 10 September 2021 at a colourful durbar of the chiefs and people of Mayenda, a cocoa-growing community in the Awutu Senya West District of Ghana.

The Odikro of Mayenda, Nana Kofi Duku III, said the gesture was in recognition of the many impactful developmental initiatives Yaa Peprah Amekudzi has led in the community through the Cocoa Life Program.

Cocoa Life was first introduced in the District in 2015 by Amekudzi, and currently has twenty (20) societies making up the Awutu Senya Union.

“Through Nana Okofo Apetu II and Cocoa Life almost all our societies have set up income-generating ventures, out of which we invest the proceeds in support of our own developmental projects in the communities,” said Paul Tetteh, the President of the Awutu Senya Cocoa Life Union.

“Over the period, our farmers have been educated to eradicate the incidence of child labour. We have also benefitted from proper farm management and hand pollination training, which has positively impacted our yield,” Tetteh emphasised.

He added that “our women have also been equipped with additional livelihood skills, like baking, making them financially independent.”

Paul Tetteh said Cocoa Life has been beneficial to Awutu Senya District and Nana Okofo Apetu III has been very instrumental in empowering communities to drive the change they desire.

Yaa Peprah Amekudzi is awarded the 2nd time running Sustainability Personality of the year at Ghana Cocoa Awards

 

“The initial idea was to make her Nkosuohen for all 20 communities under the Union, but we had to settle on one. Thus, members and leadership upon deliberations agreed on Mayenda,” Paul Tetteh recalled.

In her maiden address, Nana Okofo Apetu II expressed immense appreciation to the Chief, Elders and the people of Awutu Mayenda for the great honour.

She outlined her 5-prong vision to include the construction of a modern WASH facility, a borehole water project, a community library, a female personal hygiene project to provide free sanitary pads to girls and a model farm to support additional livelihoods.

The Awutu Mayenda Nkosuohen, Nana Okofo Apetu II, appealed to the community leaders and the people to work in concert with to realise the developmental aspirations of the community.

The District Chief Executive for Awutu Senya District, Stephen Quaye, and the Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya West Constituency, Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, congratulated Nana Okofo Apetu II while commending her and Cocoa Life for their partnership in the development of the area.

They pledged continued support and cooperation towards the achievement of her vision.

Meanwhile, a modern toilet facility has been commissioned for the people of Mayenda, while the sod has been cut for the commencement of work for the community library project.

The Mayenda Community Library is estimated to cost GHS250,000 and is scheduled for commissioning in 6 months.

In response to a fundraising drive, the Awutu Senya Cocoa Farmers Union of Cocoa Life has donated GHS7,700 towards the project and encouraged all to do the same.

Site for the Mayenda Community Library project
Kojo Hayford
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