Angry fishermen in the Gomoa West District of the Central Region are threatening to storm the Flagstaff House and Parliament naked if the Ministry of Fisheries fails to supply them with premix fuel.
The agitated fishermen gave President Nana Akufo-Addo up to Friday to call persons in charge to order else they will embark on a naked demonstration.
The 2014 National Best Fisherman in the Central region, Nana Ekow Panyin, who spoke on behalf of the fishermen, said the Minister in charge should not tempt them because it would not end well.
Fisher folks in Ghana have and continue to play a cardinal role in the country’s development. In addition to providing jobs to over two million citizens involved directly and indirectly with local fishing, fish also serves as food with high nutritional value.
That perhaps underpins the rationale behind the introduction of Premix fuel by former President J. J. Rawlings under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of 1992 and later improved by the late former President Prof. John Mills in May 2009, with the introduction of Landing Beach Committees (LBCs).
This was to empower the fisher folks to oversee the sale and distribution of Premix fuel the local fishing communities.
Elizabeth Afolley Quaye, Fisheries Minister
There had been complaints that the premix fuel is being diverted and that when the tanker arrives, the fuel would have been allocated to people who are not even fishermen.
Fishermen have also alleged that the profit realised from the sale of each tanker of premix fuel, which was to be paid into the coffers of the communities as directed is not being done.
This has been a constant challenge for government to ensure that the fuel reaches its destination
In the latest development, the frustrated fisherfolks said the Minister should do all he can to provide petrol for their canoes else they will be forced to resort to their last option of demonstrating.
Nana Panyin appealed to the President to urgently do something about their predicament because it is time for bumper harvest yet they are stuck, as they do not have fuel to power their engines.
Source: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
