4 Ministries allocated GH¢2.59 billion in 2016
The ministries of Roads and Highways, Food and Agriculture, Works and Housing, Fisheries and Aquaculture have been allocated a total of GH¢2.59 billion to enable them to prosecute their planned programmes and projects for the 2016 fiscal year.
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The figure comprises GH¢52,706,712 allocated to Fisheries and Aquaculture; GH¢501,501,708 to Food and Agriculture; GH¢1.42 billion to Works and Housing and GH¢624,624,197 to Roads and Highways.
Presenting the 2016 Budget Statement and economic policy of the government to Parliament yesterday, the Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Terkper said the government plans to construct about 200 kilometres (km) of trunk roads and 40km of urban roads next year, the Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Terkper, has announced.
He mentioned some of the key roads outlined for the construction as the continuation of the Nsawam–Apedwa road; the Kwafokrom-Apedwa, Dodi-Pepesu–Nkwanta, Enchi–Dadieso roads, as well as the Kwame Nkrumah, and Kasoa Interchanges.
In addition, routine maintenance activities will be undertaken on 11,199km, 22,500km and 10,200km of trunk, feeder and urban road networks, respectively in 2016.
The minister of finance also said work would start on the Dansoman, Adjoa-New Takoradi, New Takoradi, Amanful Kumah and Blekusu coastal protection works aimed at protecting the land, preventing further erosion and protecting life and property.
A similar project at Sakumono, near Tema, has been completed while that of Aboadze is 70 per cent with Nkontompo being 50 per cent complete.
The budget was on the theme, “Consolidating Progress Towards a Brighter Medium Term”.
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The minister who started the presentation of the abridged version of the budget at around 11:20a.m., finished at about 1:35p.m., as parliamentarians from both sides of the house provided a quiet and decorous posturing to make that possible.
Works and housing
He said in 2016, the government intended to complete the construction of the Kumawu and Konongo water treatment plants and rehabilitate the Kwahu Ridge Water supply system, while continuing the water treatment s at Akim Oda and Akwatia.
“Phase II of the construction of 368 housing units for the security services is ongoing. The construction of 5,000 affordable housing units at Saglemi-Ningo Prampram is progressing. Phase I of the project consisting of 1,502 housing units has commenced and will be completed in 2016,” Mr Terkper stated.
Also, 4,720 government affordable housing units in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Upper West and Eastern regions are at various stages of completion. Seventy-two units allocated to the State Housing Company Limited (SHCL) at Borteyman are completed.
Rice and livestock production
To boost local rice production in 2016, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is expected to procure 50 tractors with the requisite components to support Agricultural Mechanisation Services Enterprise Centres (AMSECs). Already, the minister said 77 tractors, 49 power tillers, 20 rice threshers, 11 rice reapers and six rice mills with their respective components have been assembled and sold to farmers.
In 2016, as part of the government’s effort to boost local production of poultry, commercial poultry (broiler) farmers are expected to be supported with subsidised inputs (maize, vaccines and drugs) to produce 45,000 tonnes of poultry. In addition, 1,500 farmers in five regions will be supported with 30,000 brooded cockerels.
“It is anticipated that these interventions will reduce the nation’s meat deficit, which is currently 126,610 tonnes by 35.5 per cent.”
Still on livestock, the government said it had during the year supported 90 farmers in the Central, Western and Eastern regions with superior breeds of 650 sheep and 450 goats under the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP).
“In 2016, 90 farmers will be supported with 450 animals of superior breed quality. This forms the third phase of a credit in kind scheme being implemented under the WAAPP.
Aquaculture
The finance minister explained how the country had saved $38.79 million this year 2015 on the importation of fish stocks, as a result of producing 126,450,000 fingerlings to boost aquaculture production from 38,547 tonnes (2014) to 46,250 tonnes in 2015, an increase of 20 per cent. The move cut fish imports from 145,910.3 tonnes in 2014) to 102,874.95 this year.
“In addition, 65 per cent of work was completed on the zonation of the Volta Lake into feasible aquaculture production areas to attract private sector investment. In 2016, the ministry will collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including the private sector to roll out the Fisheries Nucleus-Out grower Input Support Scheme in 25 fishing communities along the Volta Lake.”
The full operation of the scheme is expected to further boost aquaculture fish production from 46,250 tonnes to a target of 85,000 tonnes, creating about 900 direct jobs and 2,252 indirect jobs for women within the fish value chain.
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“These measures are intended to support Governments job creation and poverty reduction efforts,” Mr Terkper stated.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture is also expected to rehabilitate six fish landing sites at Mumford, James Town, Teshie, Anloga, Tapa-Abotoase and Dzemeni under the West Africa Regional Fisheries Project (WARFP).
This will augment the additional 25 fresh landing sites to be constructed. The sites, according to Mr Terkper, will include Axim, Dixcove, Elmina, Komenda and Moree.
Others are Kpando-Torkor, Winneba, Senya-Breku, Fete, Ada, Keta, Cape Coast and Tema New Town.
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In addition, the government projects it would collaborate with the private sector to establish two fish feed production units to support aquaculture and shrimp production, while three public hatcheries at Kona-Odumase, Ashaiman and Dormaa-Ahenkro would be rehabilitated to boost fingerling production for aquaculture.