Government has inaugurated the Elmina Processing Plant in Elmina in the Central region.

The US$7.48m project, according to the minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, is intended to bring lasting relieve to the fishing communities in the area.

She indicated that government is indeed committed to improving the fishing business so that the fisher folks can have improved livelihood.

“To strengthen the capacity of our fishermen, the government has designed a number of developmental projects for the fishing sector; notably, the development of fishing harbours, cold storage facilities and landing sites, the Anomabo Fisheries College, the Turnkey Fish Processing Plant which have been programmed for implementation. The government will continue with these development projects that will enhance development of the sector,” she stated.

The facility, she explained, will not only assist the fishermen will blocks, storage facilities and ready market for their fishing activities, but will ultimately create jobs for the people in the area.

A lot of people, she added, will be employed to work at the factory thereby bringing about an improvement in their living conditions.

“These projects signify the relentless effort of the government to improve on the wellbeing of the fishing communities by creating the enabling environment that will create jobs and wealth for themselves, their children and dependents in particular and for others in general,” she stated.

She added that the plant is meant to add value to the fishing business in the Central region.

The plant has facilities for descaling, gutting, filleting and packaging of fish. It also has a blast freezer, cold storage with capacity of 100metric tons, ice block plant, a waste processing component for producing fish and animal feed, a canteen, a crèche,” she added .

The facility, the minister added will also help boost animal husbandry as fish waste will be converted to feed for the animals.

Raphael Spectrum Company Limited will manage the facility on behalf of the government