Spain to assist Ghana's Fishing Industry
The Spanish Government is providing Ghana with seven million Euro loan facility to construct and equip six cold stores with refrigeration facilities in some fishing communities.
This is under the second Ghana-Spanish Protocol Agreement.
Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Mr. Kwesi Ahwoi, disclosed this when he inaugurated an 11-member reconstituted Fisheries Commission in Accra.
He said government is sourcing for funds to construct two fishing harbours and 12 landing sites estimated at about 200 million dollars as part of measures to address the challenges of safety and post-harvest losses in the industry.
Mr. Ahwoi said to ensure smooth implementation of the ministry's crash programme on aquaculture, it has rehabilitated two hatcheries at the Ashaiman Aquaculture Demonstration Centre and the Kona Odumase Hatchery which were at the verge of collapse by January, 2005.
“The idea is not only to provide healthy, fast growing and disease resistant fingerlings but also to set the standards for the private sector to follow,” he added.
He said statistics indicate the fisheries sector contributes significantly to the socio-economic development of the country. The sector contributes 4.5 % as National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supports the livelihood of about 10 % of the nation's population.
Fish provides the Ghanaian consumer with about 60 per cent of animal protein needs and is consumed by almost all groups in society as a daily staple.
However, Mr. Ahwoi said Ghana has only been able to produce a mere 48 % over the past 10 years of its fish requirement.
According to him, the country's annual fish requirement is estimated at 890,000 metric tonnes while fish available from local production, fish imports and exports are 562,000 metric tonnes.
“It is clear that Ghana is not self sufficient in fish production with an annual deficit of about 328,000 metric tonnes“, he said.
Mr. Ahwoi called on members of the Commission to enforce the fisheries laws and institute measures for monitoring, controlling and surveillance of Ghana's territorial waters.
He said they should in addition, develop modalities for the management and development of the fishing industry, ensure proper conservation of resources and collaborate with Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies having fishing communities for the enforcement of its bye-laws.