Audio By Carbonatix Ghanaians have been urged to prioritise the consumption of locally produced chicken to boost domestic poultry production and sustain the Government’s flagship “Nkoko Nketenkete” initiative under the Feed Ghana Programme. Bright Demordzi, National Coordinator of the Feed Ghana Programme, said increased patronage of locally produced poultry would create jobs, improve livelihoods and drive economic growth. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi, he noted that poultry raised by local farmers was generally fresh and healthier, as it was not stored for long periods like some imported products. Mr Demordzi recalled that the “Nkoko Nketenkete” programme was launched in Kumasi by President John Dramani Mahama to revitalise the poultry industry and reduce Ghana’s dependence on imports. He described the initiative as a strategic intervention aimed at creating employment, boosting household incomes, particularly in rural communities, and strengthening the poultry value chain. “The success of the programme depends largely on the willingness of Ghanaians to patronise locally produced chicken,” he said. Mr Demordzi cautioned that some imported poultry products might be unwholesome due to prolonged storage before shipment, and urged consumers to support local farmers by choosing fresh Ghanaian chicken. He said Ghana spent millions of dollars annually on poultry imports, describing the trend as unsustainable. Under the initiative, about 60,000 households nationwide have benefited from the distribution of approximately three million birds, alongside feed support and technical training to enhance productivity. Mr. Demordzi said the programme would strengthen the entire poultry value chain, from production to processing and marketing, and attract investment into the sector. He called on traditional authorities to support the initiative to ensure its success. Mr. Ernest Mensah, a beneficiary at Sewuah near Kumasi, commended the Government for the intervention and urged fellow beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunity to improve their livelihoods. Some stakeholders also stressed the need for improved marketing systems, cold storage facilities and competitive pricing to make locally produced poultry more attractive. They called for a collective national effort to support the initiative, noting that increased patronage of local chicken would help reduce import bills, strengthen the economy and enhance food security. DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited. Tags: Chicken Coordinator Nkoko Nketenkete Programme DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited. Related to this story Mahama directs all schools to exclusively purchase local rice, maize, chicken, and eggs Mahama targets 100% local chicken production in 3 years Many children do not know they have eye problems – Coordinator Gov’t targets bold reforms to slash $300m poultry import bill by half Beyond the Bowl: Ghana’s poultry demand vs local production US approves chicken made from cultivated cells, the nation’s first ‘lab-grown’ meat Poultry farmers encouraged to add value to products to increase sales potential KFC launches game console that keeps your chicken warm Cheap EU chicken presents grave human health risk: report Latest Stories NIA aims to build a dynamic database – Corporate Affairs Director13 minutes Court refuses businessmen bail over GH¢49m gold fraud15 minutes Patronise local chicken to sustain Nkoko Nketenkete Programme – Coordinator16 minutes Tanyigbe SHS girls shine at African 15th Armwrestling Championship18 minutes Never once did I interfere – Former AG Godfred Dame defends record with OSP20 minutes Adongo defends BoG recapitalisation plan amid growing debate over GH¢93.82bn negative equity31 minutes Ghana petitions AU over xenophobic attacks on African nationals in South Africa41 minutes Shocking and perplexing – Godfred Dame slams gov’t attempts to weaken OSP43 minutes GPL 2025/26: Medeama drop points as GoldStars keep title hopes alive43 minutes Irresponsible court reporting erodes public trust in judiciary – CHRAJ Director warns52 minutes Expose young people to courts and prisons to curb crime – Judge advocates57 minutes Suame MP slams ORAL initiative as ‘illegal’ and driven by haste1 hour Gideon Boako accuses BoG of ‘accounting gimmick’ over solvency position1 hour Minority raises alarm over BoG losses, says concerns are in national interest1 hour Economic stability achieved, focus now shifts to production – Isaac Adongo1 hour