The Sustainable Development Alliance (SusDA), a non-government organisation, with support from the KGL Foundation, has held an exhibition at Drivergah, near Abokobi, in the Ga East Municipality, to showcase the success of a catfish farming project undertaken by women in the area.
It was a sight to behold, and a joy to feel as officials from the two organisations, the women catfish farmers, and others at the exhibition watched the fishes swam up with glee in the tarpaulin tanks to take food thrown to them during the exhibition.
Earlier, the atmosphere was filled with the sweet aroma of the frying of river fish, in this case, catfish grown from the tarpaulin tanks that stood nearby.
The women from the Dromo Women’s Group, selected to take part in the Ga East Women in Aquaculture Project (GEWA), could not help dancing, singing, applauding, and giving thanks to Almighty God and appreciating the SusDA, KGL, and the Ga East Municipal Assembly for the success of the project.
The catfish project commenced at Drivergah, Abokobi, last June by taking 100 selected women in the Dromo Group through the theoretical aspects of fish farming, with the practical phase successfully commencing in September 2025.
When it began, 1030 fingerlings were brought for farming, of which 35 died at the time of the exhibition, a situation that was described as the fingerlings having a low mortality rate.
With funding from the KGL Foundation, the GEWA Project sought to address challenges such as unemployment, gender inequality, and limited access to sustainable livelihoods—while equipping women with hands-on skills in fish farming, processing, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
It was to empower the women in the Ga East Municipality to create employment in fish-farming and to generate income.
Having gained valuable expertise, and as the project approached its conclusion, the women gave an assurance that they would establish their own independent aquaculture ventures.
The fair showcased various catfish products—boiled, fried, and smoked.
There were also demonstrations of healthy food preparation.
The exhibition was also to create vital market linkages for the participants and drive publicity for the initiative.
In an address, Mrs Mary Tobbin Osei, the Executive Director of SusDA, commended the women for availing themselves of the training.
She said the project was meant to ensure more fish consumption so that the women and children would have more protein in their diet.
Mrs Tobbin Osei urged the women to be watchful over their children, especially girls, so that they would not fall into bad company.
She assured the women that, having completed the training, the SusDA was ready to assist them in creating and managing their own catfish farms and urged them to make Drivergah the hub of catfish farming in Ghana.
“It is our hope that Drivergah would become a recognised hub for catfish, attracting buyers from market centres for direct purchase,” Mrs Tobbin Osei said.
Mr Edwin Osmond-Lamptey, the Public Relations Officer of the KGL Foundation, said the choice to support the farming of catfish was based on its resilience, ease to grow, and delicacy.
He said an amount of GHC 120,000 was invested into the project and gave an assurance that the Foundation would offer the needed support to women to diversify their income generation activities.
“We, as a Foundation, assure you that we’ll make the project sustainable to help the less privileged improve upon their lives,” Mr. Osmond-Lamptey said.
Madam Felicia Sosu, the Founder of Dromo Group, appealed for support to enable more women to go into catfish farming.
“Please, women, learn how to farm fish,” Madam Sosu urged and appealed to the government for other interventions in support of income generation from women in the area.
“We’re waiting for Nkoko Nketekete,” she said, in reference to the government’s small poultry farm project.
Mr Robert Mensah, the Project Site Supervisor, said the water in the tank had to be changed every three or four days and appealed for assistance for a consistent supply of fresh water.
