Ministry signs agreement on fish landing sites

Accra, March 27, GNA - The Ministry of Fisheries on Tuesday signed a 300,000-dollar pact with Dutch-based DHV Group to begin feasibility studies and designs for six landing sites for fishing communities in four regions.

The Minister of Fisheries, Mrs Gladys Asmah signed for Ghana, while Mr Ben Reeskamp initialled for his company.

The studies, which would begin in mid-April and end in September would pave way for the first phase of the project which includes the construction of the landing sites at Axim in the Western Region, Tepa-Abotoase and Gyemeni in the Volta Region, James Town in the Greater Accra Region and Elmina in the Central Region.

The Minister of Fisheries, Mrs Gladys Asmah said after feasibility studies and designs had been completed, the Ministry would source funds from the Spanish Government to start work.

She said the projects had become necessary to avoid the hazards that fishermen had to go through during landing on the shore. Mrs Asmah said every landing site would have facilities such as cold storage system, fish market, pre-mix point and ice cans to meet international standards.

She said the second phase of the projects would be the construction of more landing sites at Senya-Beraku in Central Region, Dixcove in Western Region and Teshie in the Greater Accra Region.

Mrs Asmah noted that with various diseases in the beef and poultry sectors, fish had become a commodity sought after and so the Ministry would make everything possible to produce fresh fish.

Mr Ben Reeskamp, Manager Ports, Waterways and Maritime Infrastructure of DHV Group, who would lead the team for the studies, said the studies would help the country know the actual situation as well as carry out environmental impact assessment.