The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has begun distributing poultry birds to farmers and households in the Tema Central Constituency as part of a government initiative aimed at strengthening food security and reducing Ghana’s import bill.

The programme, being implemented under the leadership of the President and the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, seeks to encourage residents to engage in local poultry production instead of relying on imported chicken products.

Mr George Batse, Head of the Assembly’s Agric Department, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during the exercise that the initiative is designed to address the high costs associated with poultry imports while also improving household nutrition through increased access to protein.

He explained that supporting residents to rear poultry locally would not only cut down on foreign expenditure but also create additional income opportunities within the municipality.

In the first phase of the exercise, 29 beneficiaries in Tema Central received broiler chicks. Assembly officials indicated that distribution would continue on a daily basis until the available stock is fully exhausted.

The Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Ebi Bright, who supervised the distribution, described the initiative as a demonstration of the government’s proactive approach to promoting self-sufficiency and supporting local economic growth.