EPA and MoFA accused of collapsing Ghana Protein Limited

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As Ghana struggles to increase the production of local poultry, the only fish meal company which produces poultry feed to farmers is on the verge of collapse.

The Ghana Protein Limited (GPL) was established by government in 2000 to serve as a processor of animal feed to augment the efforts of poultry farmers in the country.

The GPL relies on fish waste and unwholesome fish meal from canneries in the country in order to process and convert these fish waste into wholesome animal feed.

However, the 360 tonnes capacity processing plant based in Tema is currently utilizing only 10 per cent of its capacity due to its inability to get fish waste from the canneries such as the Pioneer Food Cannery.

Statistics indicate that Ghana accounts for as much as 30 percent of all poultry products imported into the West African sub region from the European Union.

Thus, demand for imported chicken as compared to local poultry is gradually collapsing the poultry industry in Ghana.

While some players in the poultry industry argue that the inability of Ghana to impose tariffs to protect the local poultry industry, thus leading to its collapse, another party have also pointed accusing fingers at some state regulatory institutions and the Agriculture Ministry for the gradual collapse of the poultry industry.

Speaking on e.tv Ghana’s morning show, Awake, Head of Administration at GPL, Mr Anthony Adu-Nketia accused the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Agric Ministry for sabotaging the work of the processing plant.

According to him, the plant which relies on canneries especially the Pioneer Food Company for its raw materials to produce the animal feed is at the moment not at the receiving end due to the upspring of some illegal feed processing operators.

He said the operations of the illegal processing plants which had been given operating permits by the EPA posed a threat to the poultry industry since their products were unwholesome.

“The effect of their operations is that they feed the birds with unhealthy feed and the result is we get contaminated eggs and sick birds,” he said.

Mr Adu-Nketia further noted that when the “illegal” processing operators were given operating licenses, the GPL complained to the Ministry of Agriculture and were given the assurance that they would take the matter up.

However, not much was heard from the Ministry until recently when news broke that the Pioneer Food Company was also planning to establish a processing plant.

According to him, word was conveyed from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Pioneer Food Company assuring them of government’s support to help the company achieve its goal.

Mr Adu-Nketia further questioned the reason why government would support the setting up of another plant when an over $5 million investment was being left to rot.

He noted that the company’s agitation was not because it was afraid of competition rather; it wanted things to be done appropriately.

“We are coming to a halt and we expect the ministry to come to our aid,” he cried.
At the moment, locally produced fish meal sells at GHC90 per 50 kilos, whilst imported fish meal sells at 
GHC110 per 50 kilos.

Jasmine Arku / etvghana.com

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