In the early hours of Thursday, a fight reportedly broke out between some fishermen and the personnel of the Ghana Navy on the high seas.
The fishermen were allegedly engaged in illegal fishing when the Ghana Navy personnel reportedly moved in to arrest them.
However, Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema East, Titus Glover in an interview with Citi News’ Richard Sky blamed the frequent fights and increasing tension between the fishermen and the personnel of the Navy on the Ministry of Fisheries.
He alleged that the $53.8 million World Bank money that was meant to revamp the fisheries sector has not been utilized for its intended purpose.
In the revamping of the fisheries sector, according to Mr Glover included the purchase of research vessels to enable the Research Department of the Ministry of Fisheries work. It also included the revamping of the boat yard but “these things have not been done!” he fumed.
The Tema East MP admitted that the fishermen were indeed engaged in light fishing, but he stressed that they cannot be entirely blamed for flouting the law.
“They went to do light fishing and it is against the law…but the bottom line is that the Fisheries Ministry must be able to address the problem… They are breaking the law but the Ministry would have to be held equally responsible,” he said.
He disclosed that recently, about 27 fishermen were arrested by the Navy and subsequently fined.
The fishermen are not saying that the flouting of the law is the best; it’s wrong; but so long as the Ministry has not done its part to enable the fishermen to have what it takes to go to sea; these are some of the challenges that they will face.
Mr. Glover therefore urged the Ministry to engage the fishermen along the coast and the river belt area and educate them on proper fishing practices.
He recommended that there is the need for the Ministry of Fisheries, the fishermen themselves and Members of Parliament (MPs) along the coast to sit down and take a look at the fisheries law again.
Source: ghanaweb
