Message from Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers (GNAPF)
Robert Kwofie, a former Central Region Organizer of the GNAPF represented the Association during this event. Speaking in the Fante dialect, he welcomed all gathered and expressed his joy at being present during the inauguration of the Central Region Chapter.
Women stated that women were an indispensable part of the farming business however sometimes, they were marginalized because of their gender which is unfortunate. If women have risen up, assembled themselves together as an organization to address their problems, GNAPF was in full support of its activities and would help the Association to progress.
Message from AMPLIFIES Project
A good will message was received from AMPLIFIES by LigayaDiat, the Chief of Party from the American Soyabean Association. In her address she explained that AMPLIFIES was a project of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which sought to do three things;
- Support the maize and soya bean sector in the North, BrongAhafo and Ashanti Regions by supporting the farmers so that poultry farmers will have good crops for their feed, populate their farms and reduce population cost.
- Support poultry farmers who produce their own feed especially to support the commercial feed millers effectively and at a decreased cost of production
- Promote the consumption of eggs.
“The average Ghanaian currently consumes 143 eggs in a year which is about 0.4 in a day. If we are raise the consumption of eggs by 25 in a year, that will be about 160, 170 which is a win-win for everybody in the poultry sector. Egg is the cheapest source of good, quality protein”, she stated.
She also extended her felicitations to WIPVaC-Apex and acknowledged the key role that women played in Agriculture even though they were behind the scenes. She added that women were empowered, households and families would be affected, thereby affecting the nation at large.
Madam Ligaya also urged the students present to go into Agriculture because it was very profitable.
Message from the Cape-Coast Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCRCCI)
The gathering received a goodwill message from the Central Region wing of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry which was done by Mr. A. YoofiPokoo-Aikins, the Chairman. He established the fact that the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry was the strongest and most powerful business organization in Ghana and it sought to improve the state of businesses in Ghana. He emphasized the key role that Capacity Building played in making business globally competitive.
Mr. YoofiPokoo-Aikins showed his appreciation to the Women in Poultry Value Chain for desiring to join the Chamber. He called on all stakeholders including the Regional Minister and the Regional House of Chiefs to work together to ensure proper growth of businesses in Ghana. See below for the full speech;
Honourable Chairperson
Distinguished Guests
All protocol observed
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Today is a very great Day for the Women in Poultry Value Chain. As we are all aware, the Ghana Chamber of Commerce in the business community is the strongest.
In 1968, it was firmly entrenched into the Ghanaian constitution with the legislative instrument. The Chamber is the strongest and most powerful organization in Ghana. As we all know, we are very much concerned about capacity building in this country. Therefore we are also aware that the growth and prosperity of every business depends on such factors.
As we speak, we have a strong MOU between the Vice Chancellors and the UCC Business School, University of Cape-Coast. Building ones capacity makes one globally competitive.
We all know that the gender status of our current President, Nana AddoDankwaAddo who is seeking strong partnership with the business community in his administration. We were very much happy when some of your executive members came to us wishing that this institution becomes a member of the Chamber. To bring in interventions that will bring on job creation.
We are working closely with the Regional Minister and the Regional House of Chiefs to bring in interventions that will result in job creation. All stakeholders should come on board and work together with us to ensure proper growth of businesses.
Thank you very much.
As part of the side events, games involving the use of eggs were organized. The first game was “egg-eating” where the contestants were to peel and eat four eggs within a 30 seconds frame. The contestants were six (6) in number;
The other egg game was the Egg and spoon race where the contestants were tasked to carry an egg on a spoon in their mouths. They were then to race across a finish line and back with the egg still in place. The contestants were four in number. While two of them could not balance the egg on their spoons and fell off, the remaining two made it to the finish line at 3 seconds interval.
At the end of the competitions, the winners and all the other contestants were awarded with aprons, crates of eggs etc.
A side-event of the inauguration was the Cooking competition featured the preparation of dishes using Egg as the main ingredient. This cooking competition was done by ten (10) second and third year students from the Home Economics department of the Cape-Coast Technical Institute. There were nine females and one male who had one person each to be assisting them.
The judges were Madam Phyllis Yorke, the Head of Department of the Home Economics Department of the Cape-Coast Technical Institute and Mrs. Gloria BaidenKoomson from the Cape-Coast Technical University.
They cooked within a given frame of three (3) hours for all the activities. Some of the meals prepared were Egg and Potato Salad, Swiss Roll, Egg Tartlets, Egg Mayonnaise, Cocoyam Scotch Egg, Cream Caramel, Cape Tech Omellet, Poached Egg, French Toast Egg Bread, Fish and Egg Salad, Croquette Potato, Bread and Butter Pudding, OT Special Breakfast Dish, Tomato Omellet, Parsley Omelette, Ghanaian Salad, Marquise Potato, Egg Pudding, Quiche Lorraine, Steamed Sponge Pudding and Cucumber and Egg Salad.
Mr. Gershon Wordzra, Regional Director Of Agriculture spearheaded the inaugural ceremony and was assisted by the national executives of the Association. In his inaugural speech, he acknowledged the important role women played in the chain and the challenges they sometimes faced. He stated, “It is good they have noticed it and have formed this Association to address those issues. The chain will be strong if everybody is vital and functions appropriately. Do not underestimate anyone in the value chain”
To AMPLIFIES, he extended warm appreciation for their support and advised that they continually sponsor the Association and all its activities. “Do not leave them but even if so, do it gradually”, he stated.
To the executives, he charged them to give their all to the Association and serve with joy.
To the audience, Mr. Wordzra informed, “Eat what you produce and produce what you eat. Importing food from other countries opens employment opportunities to their citizens so let us do well to grow and eat our own foods.” He also touched on the importance of egg consumption on the intellectual capacities of children and advised parents to feed their children with on egg a day.
Table 3: List of the inaugurated Cape-Coast executives;
| NO. | NAME | LOCATION | POSITION | ||||
| 1 | Mavis Woobil | Cape-Coast | President | ||||
| 2 | Dina McCarthy | Vice-President | |||||
| 3 | Theresa KufuorDarteh | Cape-Coast | Treasurer | ||||
| 4 | Joyce Okine | Swedru | Assistant Treasurer | ||||
| 5 | Vida Idan | Winneba | Financial Secretary | ||||
| 6 | Rosemary Vigbedoh | Elmina | Organizer | ||||
| 7 | Comfort Ampomah | Assistant Organizer | |||||
The Central Region Chapter was launched on 22nd November 2017 at Ministry of Food and Agriculture Cape-Coast, specifically in the Nana Blankson Conference RoomAt this ceremony, the regional executives were inaugurated to begin their work in the Association. .About One Hundred and Fifty (150) guests were in attendance, including heads of departments and Agencies, AMPLIFIES project, Executives of the Association, Association members, Poultry farmers in the locality, students from the Cape-Coast Technical Institute, Teachers, market women and many others(See Table 2 below for the full list of dignitaries).
The program was chaired by Madam Felicity Gyan-Toninga, the Regional Veterinary Officer of Veterinary Services Directorate in the Central Region. AMPLIFIES Ghana, the sponsors of the ceremony were also represented by LigayaDiat, the Chief of Party of the American Soyabean Association, Christy Asante, the Communication Officer of the American Soyabean Association and Madam Comfort Acheampong, the Technical Specialist, AMPLIFIES Ghana.
The ceremony was emceed by Victoria DansoaAbankwa from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture Women In Agricultural Development (WIAD) and also the Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture in the Central Region while the inauguration ceremony was spearheaded by the Regional Director of Agriculture in the person of Mr. GershonWordzra. The language of English and the dialects ofTwi and Fante were employed during this event to satisfy the communication needs of all present.
Table 2: List of dignitaries present
| NO. | NAME | ORGANIZATION / LOCATION | POSITION |
| 1. | Dr. Felicity Gyang –Toninga | Veterinary Services Directorate | Regional Veterinary Officer |
| 2. | Mr.GershonWordzra | Department of Agriculture | Regional Director |
| 3. | LigayaDiat | American Soyabean Association (ASA) –AMPLIFIES | Chief of Party |
| 4. | Christy Asante | American Soyabean Association (ASA) – AMPLIFIES | Communication Officer |
| 5. | Comfort Acheampong | AMPLIFIES, Ghana | Technical Specialist |
| 6. | Seth Brako | Ghana Health Service | Chief Nutrition Technical Officer |
| 7. | George Pilkin | Ministry of Food and Agriculture | For Municipal Director of Education KEAA |
| 8. | George Ben Smith | Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Central Region | Vice Chairman |
| 9. | Francis Freeman | Department of Agriculture | Regional Livestock Officer |
| 10. | A. YoofiPokoo-Aikins | Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cape-Coast | Chairman |
| 11. | Benedicta A Mensah | Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Central Region | Regional Head |
| 12. | Michael Aggrey-Korsah | Veterinary Services Directorate, Cape-Coast | Municipal Veterinary Officer |
| 13. | Victoria Abankwa | WIAD / MOFA Department of Agriculture, C/R | Deputy Director |
| 14. | Robert Kwofie | Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers (GNAPF) | Central Region Organizer |
| 15. | Priscilla Araba Mensah | WIPVaC-Apex | WIPVaC-Apex Office Assistant |
| 16. | Phyllis Yorke | Cape-Coast Technical Institute (Cooking Competition Judge) | Head of Department |
| 17. | Mrs. Gloria BaidenKoomson | Cape-Coast Technical University | – |
| 18. | Boakye F. Marcia | Cape-Coast Technical Institute | Teacher |
| 19. | Esther Kumea-Ashun | Cape-Coast Technical Institute | Teacher |
| 20. | Francesca Anowie | Cape-Coast Technical Institute | Teacher |
| 21. | Josephine Kusenwah | Cape-Coast Techical Institute | Teacher |
| 22. | Bernice Kumi | WIPVaC-Apex
Dormaa-Ahenkro |
National Assistant Treasurer (WIPVaC-Apex) and
Secretary (Egg Sellers Association) |
| 23. | Elizabeth Nkrumah | WIPVaC-Apex
Accra |
National Organizer (WIPVaC-Apex) and National President (Egg Sellers Association) |
| 24. | Victoria Norgbey | WIPVaC-Apex, Accra | National President |
| 25. | Patricia Dzesu | WIPVaC-Apex, Accra | National Assistant Organizer |
| 26. | Catherine Osei Tutu | WIPVaC-Apex, Kumasi | National Vice President |
| 27. | Victoria Norgbey | WIPVaC-Apex, Accra | National President |
| 28. | Vida Idan | WIPVaC-Apex, Winneba | Financial Secretary (Central Region Chapter) |
| 29. | Philip HoyimaduNavrey | WIPVaC-Apex, Techiman | Organizer (Egg Sellers Association) |
| 30. | Theresa KufuorDarteh | WIPVaC-Apex, Cape-Coast | Treasurer (Central Region Chapter) |
| 31. | Mavis Woobil | WIPVaC-Apex, Cape-Coast | National Secretary
And President (Central Region Chapter) |
| 32. | Comfort Ampomah | WIPVaC-Apex, Cape-Coast | ……. |
| 33. | Dina McCarthy | WIPVaC-Apex, Cape-Coast | Vice President (Central Region Chapter) |
| 34. | Rosemary Vigbedoh | WIPVaC-Apex, Elmina | Organizer (Central Region) |