Jamestown Fishing Harbour inaugurated
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated the Jamestown Fishing Harbour in the Greater Accra Region, with a call for stronger stakeholder collaboration to build a resilient fisheries sector capable of delivering prosperity to the people.
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The harbour, which has been on the drawing board for decades, comprise an administrative building, a fish market, stores, an ice-making plant with a capacity of 60 tonnes per day, a cold store with a capacity of 200 tonnes, a repair workshop, a daycare centre, as well as police and fire stations.
“These are not just buildings; there are investments in the future of this community. Take, for instance, the inclusion of daycare centres designed to allow our hardworking mothers to trade with a peace of mind, knowing that their children are safe,” the President added.
Describing it as a “project of considerable national importance,” President Akufo-Addo said apart from transforming the fisheries sector, the project would create jobs, empower the domestic economy, and revitalise the lives of the faithful traders of Jamestown.”
He said he was particularly happy that after many years of unfulfilled promises the project had been executed.
“Today, under my government, we have moved beyond the rhetoric to action; and Jamestown finally gets the modern fishing harbour it has long deserved,” he stated, amid cheers from prominent personalities and a section of the public who thronged the event ground.
Key personalities
Among the notable government functionaries at the event were the running mate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate for the 2024 elections, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh; the Ministers of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah; the Interior, Henry Quartey; Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful; Greater Accra, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover; as well as the Mayor of Accra, Elizabeth Naa Kwatsoe Tawiah Sackey.
Also present were the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo; wife of the Vice-President, Samira Bawumia, and the Chinese Ambassador, Tong Defa.
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The grand occasion was also graced by the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsru II, the Paramount Chief of Nungua and acting President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, Oboade Notse Odaifio Welentsi III, and other chiefs.
Dream come true
President Akufo-Addo said although the process was daunting, the government took “bold, decisive steps to improve conditions for our hard-working fishermen and women who feed our nation.”
“We were determined to do this because my government understands that agriculture and fishing are the backbone of our economy, with the power to fuel industrialisation, eradicate poverty, and elevate the lives of millions of Ghanaians,” he added.
He said the investment in the harbour project was not a misplaced priority given that 2.6 million citizens relied on the fishing sector for their livelihoods, with the sector contributing $263.2 million to our nation's gross domestic product (GDP) as of 2020.
“These numbers represent the hard work of men and women whose hands feed our nation. It is for them that we continue to invest in superior infrastructure, improve storage and advance handling practices to reduce fish-catch losses, improve fish catches, and ultimately reduce our dependence on imported fish,” the President said.
Mr Titus-Glover said the inauguration of the project meant a lot to the development of the fishing industry in the country.
He said the facility would not only create jobs for the local community but also improve the lives of the residents of Jamestown and its environs.
“This fishing harbour will generate over 4,000 direct and indirect jobs and enhance the livelihoods of the people. The people of Jamestown and Accra are grateful to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for this massive infrastructure project," he said.
The Chinese Ambassador said the Jamestown Fishing Harbour project showed China's commitment to strengthen bilateral ties with Ghana for socio-economic development.
He said China would consolidate the gains made in its relationship with Ghana by investing more in projects that would improve the lives of citizens.
"It is my hope that this project will improve the lives of the people of Jamestown and Accra and ensure socio-economic development," he said
Background
The Jamestown Fishing Harbour has been developed through the collaborative efforts of many stakeholders, including the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), CRCC Harbour and Channel Engineering Bureau Group Co. Ltd, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), with aid from the People's Republic of China.
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Key elements of the project are dredging, breakwater construction, berthing facilities and navigational aids.