Ghana To Invest In Fish Farming

Ms Gladys Asmah, Minister for Fisheries, said government in collaboration with a Chinese company will invest in large scale fish farming in the Western Region.

She added that already over 2,000 acres of land has been acquired at Asemasa near Beposo to start the project. China is the world's leading exporter of fish with annual export value of over 50 billion U.S. dollars.

This is mainly from fish farming with the main exportable cultured fish, being tilapia which originates from Ghana.

Ms Asmah disclosed this at the inaugural ceremony of the Eastern Regional branch of the Fish Farmers Association at Koforidua at the weekend.

She said over the last two yeasr the Ghana government has invested over GH¢1.5 million into the fishery sector, which has made it possible for quite a number of fish farmers to benefit from input and credit scheme.

Mrs Asmah opined that many fish farmers have benefited from pond construction, fish seeds and fish feed credit, adding that recognised fish farmers' associations stand a better chance of benefiting from schemes established by her ministry and also having easy access to credit from financial institutions.

In a speech read on his behalf the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram Aseidu called for the exposure of the youth to the many advantages of fish farming and urged them to take it up as a profession.

The Regional Chairman of the Association, Mr Samuel Afum Ankrah also called for the establishment of hatcheries to enable fish farmers to easily get access to fingerlings.