We are looking for markets to sell our overgrown fishes we stocked ahead of festivities that were not held due to the advent of the novel coronavirus, fish farmers in the Kwahu area made an outcry about the negative impact of the pandemic.
Fish farmers made their plight known during a visit by the Fisheries Commission to selected fish farms in the Kwahu area. The Commission visited these farms on official duty to assess the impact of the coronavirus on their business.
Representatives of the Commission gathered from one of the fish farmers, Mr Yaw Sarpong at Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region, that he could not get market for his fish of over four tons of tilapia and catfish produced by his farm earlier this year. According to him, there has been low patronage because of the coronavirus.
Mr Sarpong indicated that his farm stocked the fish ahead of the Easter festivities usually patronized at Kwahu, to meet the high patronage during those celebrations. Due to the pandemic, the festival was cancelled hence, the frustrations he feels. He went on to appeal to people to come and buy the fish.
He further explained that his venture is barely a year old and he was looking forward to making major sales during the Kwahu Easter however, the opposite had happened.
Mr. Sarpong disclosed that he spends about Gh¢100 every day to feed overgrown fishes. He also stated that he currently employs one permanent worker and four casual workers. He went on to appeal to private entities in the sector and government to buy the fish.
The Commission upon visiting another farm, Family and Friends Fish Farm, gathered the same concerns.
At the Family and Friends Fish Farm, the Farm Manager, Mr Omari Evans said they could not get customers for the fish that have been produced by the farm because of the coronavirus. He cited that the lack of drive in restaurants who patronize their produce has also contributed in the slow sales of their processed fish. According to him, they are out of operations because of the virus.
The farm employs four workers and is still maintaining all of them.
The Fisheries Commission delegation was led by Ms Linda Bana, the New Juaben Zonal Director. After the visit to the various farms to find out the impact of Covid-19 on aquaculture in the Eastern Region, Ms Bana on behalf of the team, thanked the farmers for their hard work and dedication in feeding Mother Ghana.
Businesses in Kwahu make losses due to the cancellation of Easter Celebrations
The Kwahu Traditional Council indefinitely suspended the 2020 Kwahu Easter celebrations and other related activities following the outbreak of the coronavirus.
The Council on Monday 16th March, 2020 issued a statement to this regard. It included restrictions on public engagements and visits to the various palaces in Kwahu.
Easter celebrations at Kwahu is one of the most anticipated festivities people anticipate at the beginning of the year ahead of the main celebration in April.
Businesses including fish farmers stock up to meet demands and project high sales because people from all corners of Ghana and beyond go to the Eastern region to participate in the Easter celebration.
However, the projection of most businesses was failed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
