The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has paid a working visit to the Ashaiman Livestock Market, the largest livestock market in West Africa, as part of the government’s commitment to the implementation of the Livestock Development Project (LAP).

The LAP Project intends to boost meat and dairy production, especially of cattle, piggery, and small ruminant farming, by introducing better breeds and establishing capacity-building centers to enhance meat and dairy production.

He announced that feasibility studies have been completed, and design works are currently underway, marking significant progress towards the realisation of the project.

The minister reaffirmed the government’s resolve to support and develop the Ashaiman Livestock Market, emphasising its strategic role in the livestock value chain and providing employment opportunities to over 80,000 people.

He assured traders that the Ministry would actively engage the leadership of the Livestock Traders Association in all decisions affecting the market to ensure that interventions deliver maximum impact in fulfillment of the campaign pledge by President Mahama to develop the Ashaiman Livestock Market.

The minister underscored the importance of security and announced the provision of fifty (50) streetlights to enhance nighttime safety and commended the Inspector-General of Police for the establishment of security posts within the market to protect lives, goods, and services.

On sanitation, Mr Opoku announced the provision of a tricycle to support routine cleaning activities.

He further disclosed ongoing engagements with fertilizer manufacturers to explore the use of cow dung from the market as a raw material for fertilizer production, thereby creating value from waste.

Additionally, he revealed discussions with the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Samuel Tetteh Kwashie Morton, on the procurement of a payloader for the market.

As an interim measure, he announced a GHS 30,000.00 support package to enable the Assembly to hire equipment for immediate cleaning of the market yard pending the acquisition of the machine.

The visit reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure, sanitation, security, and stakeholder collaboration to enhance the operations and long-term sustainability of the Ashaiman Livestock Market.

In his welcoming remarks, the General Secretary of the Ghana National Livestock Breeders and Traders Association (GLIBTA), Sheikh Issah Amartey, expressed appreciation to the minister for the visit, noting that it was the first time in over sixty (60) years of the market’s existence that a sitting state official or a Minister for Food and Agriculture had visited the facility.

He highlighted key challenges affecting the smooth operation of the market, particularly issues related to animal and public health arising from poor environmental conditions at the mini slaughter slab, animal watering points, and within the main cattle market.

Sheikh Issah also raised concerns about inadequate security for traders and animals. In this regard, he appealed for the provision of a payloader to support sanitation activities, inclusion of the association in the supply of livestock and livestock products for government programs, improvement in market infrastructure and management through the deployment of a Market Information System (MIS), and strengthened animal health service delivery within the market.