Carpenter (N/R), Nov. 21, GNA - The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Mr. Kwadwo Adjei-Darko on Friday inaugurated a fish hatchery aquaculture research centre estimated at 450 million cedis at Carpenter, near Bamboi in the Bole district of the Northern Region. The project, initiated by Dr. David Mensah, an economist, with support from the Ghana Rural Integrated Development (GRID), a Canadian Organisation, would produce at least 55 million fingerlings every year to boost the fishing industry in the country.

Mr. Adjei-Darko said the government recognized the need for integrated collaboration to be nurtured and sustained between the government and human resource base, as well as business people in an effort to make the country's business flourished. He said the government was working hard to stabilize the macro-economic framework and resolve chronic problems to raise the levels of middle income.

He commended Dr. Mensah for the initiative, saying it would provide food, improve health status and increase their incomes of the people since many of them are fish farmers.

Dr Mensah, who is also the Director of the project, said the centre would also train fish farmers and extension officers in aquaculture. He appealed to the government to extend electricity to the area to enable them build storage facilities.

Dr. Mensah said the people living in the area were using harmful chemicals like DDT for fishing in the Black Volta, thereby killing the fish-stock, as well as creating health hazards to consumers. In order to curtail this appalling situation, some 500 volunteers have come together to form a group to patrol the Black Volta with a view to arresting the wrongdoers.