Government begins construction of 12 landing sites
The Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development has begun the establishment of 12 landing sites and related facilities in some towns along the coast, ABC News can report.
Some selected areas to benefit from the projects include, Teshie, Axim, Dixcove Elmina, Winneba, Mumford, Senya-Breku, Gomoa-Fetteh, Moree, Keta, James Town, and Anloga.
The projects which are being undertaken by the Ministry of fisheries and the Fisheries Commission, in collaboration with the World Bank, are expected to help maintain a hygienic environment for the processing and handling of fish while preventing and minimizing post-harvest losses for the fishermen.
The projects are also expected to create thousands of job opportunities for the locals within the beneficiary communities along the value chain.
According to the Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Francis Kingsley Ato Cudjoe, works have begun on the landing site at Anloga in the Volta Region.
”Where we are standing is the Anloga landing site, it’s a fishing landing site that the Ministry of Fisheries and the Fisheries Commission in collaboration with the World Bank, decided to put up at this landing site. This is a lagoon landing site. We intend to construct some landing sites at the marine beaches and also the lagoon and river landing beaches. This is the very first one in all the things that we want to do,” he said, ABC News can report.
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Information Minister, in November 2018, at a press briefing, said the development of the fish landing sites and ports is aimed at ensuring safe launching and landing of, particularly, artisanal fishing and canoes
“It is also aimed at creating and maintaining a hygienic environment for the processing and handling of fish, preventing and minimising post-harvest losses and adding value to the fish caught by artisanal fishermen,” he said.
Oppong Nkrumah noted that the fisheries sector played a major role in the national economy and contributes to 3 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He added that the completion of the projects is expected to increase the export volume of fish from the current 12 percent, as well as, increase the foreign exchange earnings of the country.