Elizabeth Naa Afoley Quaye
Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Elizabeth Naa Afoley Quaye has hinted plans are far advanced for government to introduce an ‘Aquaculture for Food and Jobs’ programme.
She explained that the initiative is intended to – in a long run – benefit the nation by promoting fishing and creating employment for Ghanaians.
According to her, the programme is currently on pilot at some selected sites and will soon be unveiled.
“We are promoting aquaculture,” she said on 3FM‘s Sunrise on Tuesday.
“Very soon you will hear the ‘Aquaculture for Food and Jobs’ programme. We have started piloting it, we have selected some schools, especially schools that have enough lands to provide us to construct ponds for them. We have sited some schools and we are still looking for more schools to pilot the Aquaculture for Food and Jobs.”
She added that as part of the programme, government is setting up a salt iodizing plant along the coastal areas to engage about 500 youths.
She also said a plastic pelleting factory is in the offing to provide alternative livelihood for fishers.
The Minister disclosed a closed fishing season is due to begin Tuesday, August 7 as a long term intervention to concerns raised by fishers.
Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Kingsley Ato Cudjoe had explained earlier that the closed season, as announced, was a major step in achieving sustainable fishing and also help replenish the depleting fish stock in the marine sub-sector.
But fishers have expressed reservations about the move, arguing that it will deprive them of their livelihood.
Madam Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, who is the Member of Parliament for Krowor Constituency, however, assured: “The closed fishing season is to support fishers”.
She pleaded with the them to make it a “success”.
Source: 3news.com