By Michael Oberteye:
Prominent among the several issues confronting fisherfolk at Kpong in the Lower Manya Krobo district of the Eastern region is that of aquatic weeds that have sprung up and taken over portions of the river banks of the Volta Lake. The presence of the weeds has posed severe challenges to fisher folk and the need for authorities to deal with the issue.
The problem doesn’t just affect the fishermen but all who find themselves in the value chain of fish farming including the fisher folk, fish sellers, processors as well as the consumer. Some fisher folk have revealed to ritefmonline, the problems aquatic weeds have posed to and continue to pose to their farming activities over the years.
The general belief therefore is that those critical to solving the problem has neglected their responsibly. However, Miss Juliet Kudjorwu of the Environment Protection Agency has stated on Tuesday’s Freed the Future Platform that the Agency has not neglected the troubling issue of aquatic weeds at Kpong and surrounding town.
She said that the weeds which pose serious threat to the Volta Lake and result in low catch for fishermen continue to grow because solving the problem has not been confronted in a continuous manner but rather through adhoc measures. To her, that cannot be an effective way to solve the problem.
Miss Kuderi also urged the District Assemblies to integrate the issue of Aquatic weeds into their plans and allocate funds towards controlling it because people depend on fishing for their livelihoods.
Also speaking to the issue, Goldman, a Unit Committee Member of the Agomanya Electoral Area said poor management on the part concerned authorities was the cause of the problem. He wondered if authorities wanted a demonstration to do what they ought to do.
He said the former NPP Government had plans to develop the Kpong river side into a modern Tourism site before giving way for the current government. He also commended former Municipal Chief Executive for Lower Manya, Isaac Tetteh Agbo for contracting an NGO to study the site for a Gh c 12000 development contract and wondered by the sight is being neglected now.
Source: ritefmonline.org
