?Maintain ban on Tilapia import ?—Government urged

Convener of the Ghana Aquaculture Stakeholders, Patricia Safo has asked the government not to lift the ban on tilapia import into the country.

She said local producers have the capacity to meet local demand hence the need to maintain the ban and also save the country foreign exchange.

In a petition presented to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Accra on Thursday the convener also called on the ministry to facilitate the availability of only approved tilapia fry vaccine at subsidised cost to farmers.

This she said would go a long way to support and boost local production in the country.

 “The government must also prosecute irresponsible farmers and other sector players whose activities would endanger the sector,” the petition added.

According to the convener, there were several problems affecting the growth of the sector and efforts must be made by the government to address the situation immediately.

To this end, she said the laws guiding the sector must be enforced for all to operate on a levelled playing field.

“We want the sector cleaned like the financial sector and operators are obeying the laws of Ghana so that we can reactivate the aquaculture sector again,” she stated.

The convener in the petition called on the government to ensure that the fisheries enforcement activities were implemented to cover inland capture fisheries and aquaculture sectors as it does with marine fisheries.

Accepting the petition on behalf of the Ministry, Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mr Francis Ato Cudjoe assured the stakeholders that the document would be studied and concerns would be addressed.

“We are committed to cleaning up the sector and making sure that it becomes a profitable venture to Ghanaians especially,” he stated.

He said, the marine sector had been suffering for some time now and the hope of boosting fish production in the country was in the aquaculture sector and efforts would be made to ensure it becomes very vibrant.

BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE

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