First Phase of Anomabo Fisheries College to Be Completed This Year

A budgetary allocation has been approved by government to complete the first phase of the Anomabo Fisheries College by the end of the year, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mrs Elizabeth Naa Afoley Quaye, has disclosed.

Addressing the media during a tour of the project site, last Friday, Mrs Quaye, expressed satisfaction at the work done on all the four projects at the site and assured the contractors that the Ministry would ensure that certificates were honoured to facilitate the release of outstanding funds so that the project could be completed by the end of the year.

She observed, however, that apart from the classroom block which was equipped with disability friendly features, the administration block, laboratory block and hostel block did not have such features.

She, therefore, directed the consultant to factor in these features as required by law.

In his remarks, Mr Francis Kingsley Ato Cudjoe, Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, entreated Messrs Premier Shelter Limited, the company responsible for the construction of the classroom block to speed up work and get the work completed alongside the others to enable teaching and learning begin.

Mr Richard Abbey, Project Consultant, Akuffo and Associates, disclosed that though actual construction started in 2013 and was expected to be completed in 2015, this never materialized due to reviews and delays in the release of funds.

Mr Abbey, however, indicated that the project could be completed within 5-6 months if funds were released on time, adding that the contractors had done more than they could do, considering that their certificates have not been cleared.

Hon. Ekow Kwansah Hayford, Member of Parliament for Mfantseman Constituency, expressed gratitude to the Minister for the visit and for the assurances given for the completion of the project.

Hon. Hayford also appealed to the contractor to assist the community with three boreholes to aid their work and serve the surrounding communities who were facing challenges with potable water.

The construction of the Anomabo Fisheries College which started in 2013 is aimed at facilitating the training of extension officers for the marine and in-land fisheries sub-sector through the running of short-term proficiency courses in virtually all aspects of fisheries and aquaculture for practitioners and prospective actors.

The College is also expected to train technicians and improve the skills and knowledge of the major stakeholders in fisheries and aquaculture.

Phase one of the College of Fisheries Project consists of four structures made up of a two-story administration block, a two-story laboratory, a three-story classroom block and a two-story hostel block. It also comes with external works including the parking and internal roads, a fish pond and an access route from Nsanfo Junction to the project site which is yet to be awarded.

Source: ISD (Eva Frempon-Ntiamoah)

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