The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Madam Emelia Arthur, has called for public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the operations of the National Aquaculture Centre and Commercial Farms.
She said this on Monday when she paid a working visit to the Centre in Amrahia to familiarise herself with their operations and explore avenues to strengthen the aquaculture sector.
She noted that such partnerships are essential to ensure the efficient use, sustainability, and long-term productivity of the Centre and would position it as a hub for research, training, and commercial aquaculture in Ghana.
“With the right blend of government support, private sector innovation, and community participation, Ghana’s aquaculture industry can become a major contributor to national food security and economic growth,” she added.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting aquaculture as a sustainable tool for increasing domestic fish production, reducing dependence on imports, and creating jobs, especially for the youth and women in coastal and inland communities.
The National Aquaculture Centre and Commercial Farms is a Government of Ghana initiative under the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture. It is located at the Dairy Farms in Amrahia within the Adentan Municipality.
The Centre operates with modern facilities, including commercial fish farm greenhouses covering 5,340 square meters and nursery structures spanning 540 square meters. A 1,000-square-meter net house supports shrimp and prawn production.
The farm uses tilapia and catfish tanks with a total volume of 2,111 cubic meters, alongside water reservoirs that hold 4,000 cubic meters in tanks and 40,000 cubic meters in earth ponds. It also has filtration units, a post-harvest centre, a laboratory, and sedimentation ponds. For its operations and training programs, the Centre provides fully furnished offices, accommodation for twenty-four trainees, classrooms, RAS training structures, and a computer library.
Irene Wirekoaa Osei, ISD
