Govt Launches Sanitation Project

The government of Ghana has launched a special project dubbed: Coastal Sanitation Project.

The over GH¢5 million project launched at Axim in the Nzeman East Municipality of the Western region on Friday seeks to enhance sanitation in fishing communities across the country.

The project is a collaboration between the Ministry and the Presidential Initiative.

Delivering the keynote address at the groundbreaking ceremony held at Axim Victoria Park, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development said the project would first be rolled out at Axim.

According to Sherry Ayitey, the Axim project would include the construction of 12-seater toilets, washrooms, biogas plant, borehole, water reservoir and pavilions at a total cost of GH¢500,000.

About 43 landing sites at Nyanyano and Dago in Gomoa East and West; Akwanda and Ankaful at Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirim and Mfantseman; Moree at Abura Asebu Kwamankese, among others, have been identified for the project nationwide.

Under the first phase, the project would be rolled out at James Town, Kpone, Moree, Dago, Otuam, Bonyere, Abuesi, Marine Matikpo, Akplortortor, Amutinu, Hedranuwo, Marine Matikplo in the Eastern, Greater Accra, Western, Central and Volta regions, according to the Minister.

She stressed the need to ensure hygienic sanitary conditions at landing beaches and fishing communities, saying this is to help ensure that players in the fishing industry take advantage of the opportunities out there in terms of export of fish and earn income for themselves and the country.”

Hygienic sanitary conditions would boost recreational tourism, and this would have a positive impact on employment generation, foreign exchange earnings and infrastructure development, she added.

Explaining the rationale behind the project, she said in spite of huge export potentials, some fish exporters from Ghana are unable to meet the high international sanitary and health standards required to export fish.

“Ghanaian fish exporters therefore are not able to fully take advantage of the opportunities available under the ACP/EU Partnership Agreement to export to EU due to the sanitary requirements.”

“To ensure quality fish from our coastal communities while safeguarding the health of our fishers, it's imperative that attention is paid to the sanitary conditions in the coastal communities,” she added.

She told DAILY GUIDE that the coastal sanitation project would be completed within a year time, explaining that the sector ministry, in collaboration with MASLOC under the Presidential Initiative, had also supplied tricycles to fishermen this year.

“The supply of the tricycles under a hire purchase agreement is to address the transportation challenges of our gallant fishers,” she said.

She said that the Ministry in December 2015 launched the Fishermen Life Insurance Scheme to provide insurance cover for fishers.

Under the first phase of the scheme, she said about 7000 fishermen had been registered.

The ministry will roll out the second phase of the Fishermen Insurance Scheme to provide life cover for canoe owners and their crew members, property insurance cover for the canoes and outboard motors, she said.

The ministry intends to provide insurance cover for one million fishermen in the second phase of the scheme, according to Ms Ayeetey.

She gave the assurance that the ministry would under the President’s Initiative continue with the distribution of fishing inputs, including outboard motors to support fishermen.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) James Baidoe said the project, when completed, would prevent residents of Axim from going to the seashore to defecate in the open.

By Melvin Tarlue, Nzeman East