The Indian High Commission on Tuesday presented 10 galvanised hand-operated water pumps worth 20 million cedis to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Salaga Constituency.

Six of the pumps are for the Ministry to assist in the development of aquaculture whilst the other four are to help solve the water problem at Salaga.

Mr Kaikhosrou K. Framyi, the Indian High Commissioner, said at the presentation ceremony in Accra that the Commission had embarked on the training of Ghanaians in various fields including aquaculture.

He expressed the hope that with the pumps fish farmers, who might have abandoned their profession because of lack of water, would go back into it.

Mr Ishmael Ashietey, Minister of State in charge of Fisheries, said Ghana imports 50 per cent of its fish requirements.

The Ministry in its efforts to reduce the importation has, therefore, embarked on the improvement and strengthening of aquaculture.

He said the Ministry also plans to train people who would later train farmers in the various methods of aquaculture especially tilapia farming.

Mr Abu-bakar Saddique Boniface, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry and MP for Salaga, said he had initiated a 120 million-cedi hand dug pump, vocational and clinic projects to reduce the sufferings of people in his constituency.