Members of the National Fish Processors and Traders Association of Ghana (NAFTA) in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region have received a big boost to aid their fish processing activities.

Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye has supported the fishmongers with refrigerators to assist them to stock large quantities of fish for future use without them going bad.

At a presentation ceremony at Atimpoku, 20 Nasco refrigerators, head pans, pieces of clothes and sets of hand-washing equipment to be placed at the vantage points of their communities as part of efforts to eradicate the COVID-19, were presented to the women groups.

The beneficiary groups include Fafali Fish Processors, Elikem Fish Processors, Nyemisuom Fish Processors, Mau Be Ji Be and Kakepeemi Fish Processors.

The minister in donating the items said the gesture which is being replicated along all coastal (marine and inland) communities in the country, was unprecedented.

“We have donated the items the President, Nana Akufo-Addo gave out to be given to the processers for their works. We have donated deep freezers, and it has never happened that any government would distribute deep freezers,” said the minister.

The distribution of the freezers followed the distribution of outboard motors to fisherfolks along the coastal communities earlier this year to improve their productivity.

Madam Afoley Quaye explained that the government had procured over 5000 outboard motors for distribution to beneficiaries across fishing communities.

She recalled the difficulties the fish processers faced in the wake of the power crisis the nation experienced few years ago.

On challenges confronting fisher folks and fish processors, madam Afoley quaye identified the prevalence of unorthodox fishing methods as an illegal and unwholesome practice and called on the fish folks to shun such fishing methods.

Deputy Chief Director at the Fisheries Commission, Mr. Paul Bannerman noted that Ghana as a fish consuming country imports 420000 metric tons of fish annually to offset the demand for fish.

To deal with this challenge, the Deputy Chief Director said the youth was rigorously being encouraged in youth programs to boost local production and thus reduce the country’s burden on foreign exchange earnings.

“To supplement these high imports due to decline in local fish production, government has introduced the concept of planting for food for jobs initiative,” he said.

He expressed worry over the use of unorthodox fishing methods including the use of bamboo, use of illegal nets to trap fish, pollution of water bodies through galamsey activities, the use of child labour, accidents and loss of lives on the Volta Lake, and called for concerted efforts to stop these.

Leader of the Nyemisuom Processors Association, Joyce Ablade who spoke in an interview praised the fisheries minister and the government for the items, adding that they would reciprocate the gesture by voting to retain the government in the upcoming general elections to continue to assist them.

“We very much appreciate this gesture by the minister and her team. We have not seen anything like this before. They should do more than this for us so we’ll vote for them [NPP government] to rule for another four years so they can continue to do more for us,” she said.

Other processors who spoke, equally expressed their appreciation as they say the items, especially the freezers would help them in the preservation of fish.

On his part, the Gyekitihene, Nana Mamfe Otuabeng III thanked the DCE and Parliamentary candidate for Asuogyaman, Paul Asare Ansah for facilitating such efforts to recognize the hardworking processors in the district.

He however called for speedy completion of a fish processing center being built at Gyekiti to ensure that the purpose for its establishment is realized.

DCE for Asuogyaman, Samuel Kwame Agyekum touted the achievements of the NPP government, not only in the fisheries sector but also in other sectors.

“Here in Asuogyaman, we have accepted the fact that President Akufo-Addo has done a lot for the Asuogyaman District in areas such as education, health, sanitation, school infrastructure, CHPS compounds, mechanized boreholes and inland port being constructed as part of the Tema-Mpakadan railway lines,” the DCE stated.

He called on all and sundry within the district to appreciate the good works of President Akuffo Addo and his government and continue to support him to ensure the “four more years” mantra.

The Fisheries Minister earlier in the day paid a courtesy call on the Akwmuhene Traditional Area, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III where she donated a deep freezer, veronica buckets and some other items.