The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has commissioned the Elmina port project in Elmina in the Central Region.
Delivering his State address, the President noted the objectives of the project is to boost the salt industry, increase accessibility to the port and extend its capacity to improve the fishing industry at Elmina and the Central Region at large.
He urged fisher folks to desist from unhealthy practices of fishing .
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cautioned that the practices have caused loss of potential income to fishers.
He called for the need for it to be attended to immediately.
According to the President, the fishing industry has contributed immeasurably to the economic development of the Region and the Country at large.
Speaking at the commissioning, the Regional Minister, Honourable Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan, said statistics showed that 70% of the Region’s active population engaged in farming and fishing.
“The stability and peaceful co-existence among our fisher folks have enabled the leadership of the fishing industry in the Region to initiate some modest infrastructural projects from the proceeds and this has contributed to the sale of premixed fuel allocated to them for the benefits of their larger communities “, she added.
The Regional Minister appreciated the President and stakeholders involved for making the port a success, but lamented that there were major problems faced by the fisher folks such as; post harvest loses, traditional methods of preservation namely, smoking, salting and many more not served best in the interests of the fishermen.
The Regional Minister further said that the fisheries sector was the key contributer to the growth of the economy.
The Minister of fisheries and Acqua-culture development, Honourable Miss Hawa Koomson assured that necessary measures would be put in place to stop illegal fishing activities and also maintain the hygienic environment of the port
