MASLOC to invest in poultry farming to create more jobs

Chief Executive Officer of the Micro finance and Small Loans Scheme Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe Attionu says her outfit is set to make significant improvement in the Poultry sector as part of government’s job creation agenda.

She says MASLOC is expected to create about 400,000 jobs in the second term of this government with a primary focus on the Poultry industry.

Ghana’s poultry sector has been struggling as a result of the crippling competition from its counterparts in developed countries forcing the country to import large amount of chicken annually.

The country between 2010 and 2012 imported 200, 000 tonnes of chicken from the EU, USA and Brazil, valued at $ 200 million which is equivalent to 2.6 million chicken per week.

The country’s poultry farmers are currently facing challenges in generating capital to boost their operation as many banks are reluctant to lend money to them at the high interest rates.

Speaking in an interview with Henry Kojo Agbai on the Gold Power Drive Thursday, Mrs Sedina Attionu Tamakloe indicated government’s efforts to create more jobs in the various sectors in the next term of President John Mahama’s government.

“There are about 28 areas MASLOC is working to assist in growing these 400,000 jobs in President Mahama next administration, ” she said.

She added that since 2010 MASLOC has created about 300,000 jobs within the various sectors.

MASLOC provides micro – credit or group loans, small loans and wholesale lending to microfinance institutions, Ministries, Department and Agencies and rural banks for on-lending to the productive poor.

Economic activities funded by the Centre include; food crops, agro – processing, poultry, micro – enterprise, vocations, handicrafts, fish farming and agricultural machinery.

By: Kojo Boohene/Radiogold.com Micbamps25@gmail.com