The chamber of aquaculture, Ghana has organized a two-day conference at the World Trade Center in Accra, which included presentations, exhibitions and discussions on sustainable development of aquaculture in the country.
The programme, which took place on the 30th and 31st of May, 2024 was attended by various stakeholders from all sectors of the aquaculture industry including students who offer marine and fisheries sciences in our various universities.
Speaker at the event, agricultural engineer and aquaculture farmer, Mr. Shadrach Amponsah bemoaned the damming effects of ‘Galamsey’ on our water bodies and the need for it to be tackled by stakeholders and government as well.
“It’s worth saying that in the case of the freshwater sources, you realize that the issue of artisanal mining and controlled ‘Galamsey’ is actually creating a bigger issue than we can ever think of. And it’s so big that, you see, when they put in all the chemical, the cyanide and the mercury, you [identify it easily]. And it’s so big that the commercial sector is actually creating a problem for the [aquaculture] sector.”
The aquaculture sector contributes to 5% of Ghana’s GDP growth hence it is seen as a growing sector which has to be protected and promoted as well. Speaking to the students at the event, a senior lecturer at the department of marine and fisheries sciences at the University of Ghana Dr. Sam Addo spoke about the potentials of the aquaculture and the readiness of the youth to take advantage of the growing sector.
” The readiness of the youth to grab such opportunity could be influenced by certain factors. It’s perception of you, the individual. Because we have trained students at a basic investment level and they end up in [different sectors]. So how do you perceive the agriculture sector?”
Univers News interacted with some exhibitors and student attendees at the event who spoke expressed their satisfaction with attending the event, as they received enlightenment on the sector and its opportunities.
“I’m actually happy that I came to this program, because at first when I got to this course I was a little bit skeptical about the opportunities I would get to do, like what I would do when I graduate from school. But like when I came to the program like it enlightened me that there are so many opportunities in the sector.”
The chamber of aquaculture Ghana is a professional organization established in 2019 to promote sustainable aquaculture practices in Ghana.
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Story by: Mudasir Braimah | univers.ug.edu.gh
