President John Dramani Mahama has set the lofty goal of reaching complete self-sufficiency in chicken production over the next three years and promised his government’s full support for revitalizing Ghana’s poultry sector.
When the President visited the National Service Authority (NSA) Poultry Farm in Haatso, Accra, on Friday, September 12, 2025, he made the announcement. The facility’s size and effectiveness were commended by him, who said, “What is happening here is very impressive.”
Despite the intense rain, President Mahama visited the farm, visiting each enclosure to check on the birds’ health, observe ongoing operations, and look at the technologies being used.
His promise to turn the facility into a center of excellence was one of the visit’s main results.
He remarked, “I promise to help you to develop this poultry farm into a centre of excellence, the farm would function as “a producing farm, a training farm, and a research farm.”
The President disclosed that in order to evaluate the site’s functioning and pinpoint areas that need government support, he had instructed the Finance Minister to make a personal visit.
“It will ensure that the sector receives the necessary financial and policy support,” he promised.
President Mahama announced support programs for poultry farmers of all sizes as part of larger reforms. These programs include targeted aid for medium and household producers as well as the provision of day-old chicks for large-scale farmers.
He also said that next month, a new nationwide program called Nkoko Nkitikiti will be introduced to promote chicken production across the country.
The program’s specifics will be revealed during the start, but it is anticipated to reduce reliance on imports, create jobs, and improve local food security.
To thunderous cheers, the president announced, “The ultimate goal is to halt the massive importation of poultry products and retain millions of dollars within the local economy. We want to eat home-grown Ghanaian chickens.”
It is anticipated that the government’s renewed emphasis on the poultry industry will be a key component of its agricultural reform strategy, which aims to increase food security, lower import costs, and create jobs.
The facility started out as a demonstration farm in the 1990s with a capacity of only 2,500 birds, according to Ms. Ruth Dela Seddoh, Director-General of the National Service Secretariat (NSS), who gave background information.
However, it has grown to accommodate over 100,000 birds since January 2025, with 70,000 of them being active at the moment.
The Authority’s engagement in agriculture, she emphasized, was consistent with its objective of equipping recent graduates with useful skills as part of the Feed Ghana Agenda through the Nkokɔ Nketekete project.
“The National Service Authority carries a sacred mandate: to harness the energy, intellect, and passion of our nation’s youth in service to our motherland,” she stated.
Ms. Seddoh introduced a vertically integrated poultry strategy that includes feed production, in-house egg production, broiler processing, and packaging in order to address enduring industry issues like high input costs and fragile supply chains.
She claimed that this would result in cost savings and new sources of revenue.
In order to increase the Authority’s agricultural capacity, Ms. Seddoh made a plea for additional assistance and asked the government to sponsor the building of a cutting-edge processing plant.
“Achieving your aim to revolutionise this industry and create tens of thousands of jobs is not just possible—it is non-negotiable.” she emphasized.
Source: newsthemegh.com