The petition, which was forwarded to the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development had indicated that there has been a “violent and sudden invasion of fish landing beaches countrywide by groups rampaging and raving self-proclaimed NPP functionaries who claimed to have been given the power to take over the running of affairs at the beaches.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”lrQxaDt7Hj2v7FFsHcDtvXjfLKSxztsn”]“The lawfully constituted landing beach committees were supplanted by new ones arbitrarily formed by Mr. Nii Lante Bannerman, Chairman of the National Premix Committee.These illegal committees are now in charge of the sale and management of premix fuel at the various landing beaches countrywide,” the petition added.

The petition was issued to get the Ministry to devise immediate strategies to resolve this problem.

Fisheries Minister still appears indifferent

However seven months after this petition was issued, the sector Minister, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye still appears indifferent about the development.

She told Citi News that the ministry does not have a tracking system to identify culprits, hence the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), which has such a system “must take action.”

The NPA, in series of letters dated between January and October 2017, informed the National Pre-mix fuel Committee and the Fisheries Ministry to take action against some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) that are involved in the diversion of the product meant for fisherfolk in the country’s coastal communities.

The OMCs, according to the letter, received consignments of the pre-mix fuel at the Tema Oil Refinery supposedly to be supplied to fishing communities outside Accra, however, they ended up being distributed in Accra, often to industries.

The development, which has persisted for several months, appears to be a major factor in the collapsing fishing industry, with a decline in local fish production and increase in fish imports.

But in a rather combative interview, Madam Afoley Quaye said she was informed that the supposed diverted pre-mix fuels were duly received.

She said, “I went to the landing beaches to find out exactly what they were doing there, and the members of the landing beach committees gave me documents to prove that they have actually received the pre-mix fuel.”

This claim by the Minister, is however at variance with the NPA letters which also confirmed that in the 249 diversions recorded, receipts were made available by some of the landing beach committees, although they never received the product.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Party executives taking over landing beach c’ttees – Fishermen Council appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the Chairman of the National Inland Canoe Fishermen Council, Jacob Tetteh Ageke, it is unfair for the inland fishermen to be singled out for blame, when in most cases, they don’t even receive the fuel allocated to them.

“I don’t agree totally [that the diversion is only happening inland]. The diversion is happening across the country. The pre-mix is for fishermen, and they are supposed to handle it, but the diversion is happening in Ashaiman. Ghanaians are at risk because when they go to the fuel station, they don’t know what they are buying. There’s diversion inland and along the marine as well,” he said on Eyewitness News on Monday.

“For the inlands, where I represent, to be singled out is unfortunate. We the inland fishermen didn’t create the problem, the pre-mix is for us and we have to handle it.”

Citi News gathered from the NPA’s series of letters that, between January 2017 to October for instance, about 200 premix fuel consignments loaded from the Tema Oil Refinery, were not delivered to the intended destinations indicated on the invoices and Returns of the Oil Marketing Companies, OMCs.

Joseph Ageke claimed that local executives of whichever political party is in power or persons who claimed to have contributed to that party’s ascension to government, take possession of the fuel meant for the fisher-folk and sell it at exorbitant prices.

“We [fishermen] have been thrown out, the moment government changes, the pre-mix fuel is taken and given to party chairmen and businessmen. One person could come and say that they supported President Akufo-Addo to come into power so they are going to take over the pre-mix fuel and they indeed do so. There are communities that have no outboard motors which are taking pre-mix fuel. The fishermen are not diverting the pre-mix fuel. It’s the fuel dealers in Ashaiman and other places, party chairmen and foot-soldiers who are not fishing and have taken over the pre-mix fuel. It happened in NDC’s regime and it’s happening more in NPP’s regime,” he claimed.

“The fishermen have turned to NPP because Nana Akufo-Addo said that when he becomes President, he would give the pre-mix fuel to fishermen to handle, but that hasn’t happened. The party chairmen take it and sell it wherever they’ll make more money. The pre-mix business is one of the booming businesses in this country. A gallon of pre-mix fuel is sold from Gh¢7.20 up to Gh¢7.50.”



Shortage of fuel worries fishermen

Fisher-folk in the Western Region told Citi News that the supply of the product has not been regular since the beginning of January 2017.

They say the Nana Addo government started supplying the product on a good note in January, but the situation took a nosedive when various scheduled date were violated.

The Western Region since January 2017 has had 189,000 gallons of premix fuel diverted 14 times, mainly to Tema. These diversions were done on a small scale in the first half of the year, but took a dramatic turn in July up until October.

‘Over 200 cases’

The National Petroleum Authority’s BRV Tracking System, recorded over 200 instances of diverted premix fuel between January and October 2017, but the regulator has failed to sanction the perpetrators.

It has instead been writing letters repeatedly to the National Premix Committee, which says it has no power to prosecute or entirely check the distribution of the product.

–

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Premix fuel sector gold mine for party executives – Inland Fisherman appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

They say the Nana Addo government started supplying the product on a good note in January, but the situation took a nosedive when various scheduled date were violated.

The Western Region since January 2017 has had 189,000 gallons of premix fuel diverted 14 times, mainly to Tema. These diversions were done on a small scale in the first half of the year, but took a dramatic turn in July up until October.

According to the leaked NPA letters complaining about the diversions, Compass Oleum, one of the Oil Marketing Companies distributing the Premix Fuel to fishermen, allegedly on October 2nd and 13th this year, had signed in the name of the Anto Apewosika Landing Beach Committee, one of the 8 landing beaches at Axim, a predominantly fishing community in the Nzema East Municipality, but never had their product supplied.

Compass Oleum had even said the committee had received and signed relevant documents covering the product delivery.

But the fishermen narrated a different story. An unhappy NPP party representative on the Anto Apewosika Landing Beach Committee, Joseph Sam, explained that the Anto Apewosika Landing Beach Committee has not been supplied the commodity for nearly a month.

He said he could not understand why others will be supplied but they will be denied.

“We have some 120 canoes here. Throughout this year, we have received a total of 18 tankers which is inadequate. Once the product has not been supplied, we do not know what to do. I can tell you we have not received any of the products for close to a month and our fishermen are suffering.”

At Dixcove, another fishing community in the Ahanta West District, chairman of the Upper Dixcove Landing Beach Committee, who is also the Chief Fisherman for Upper Dixcove, Nana Essel, said the distribution been marred with series of inefficiencies. According to him, upon assumption of office, the NPP promised fishermen of weekly premix fuel supply, but the promise was honoured somehow in January 2017, but took a dramatic turn in ensuing months.

He explained that “It’s very difficult for us. From January 2017, we were supplied either 2 times or 4 times weekly for each of the two communities. Shortly it came to 1 tanker one community. Today, it can take two to three weeks before we at Dixcove could get even one tanker. I as the chief fisherman and chairman of the landing beach committee had to travel to Axim before I could get premix to buy. Even at Axim, you will not get to buy it at the normal price. Fuel is now scarce so at Axim, there are people who buy and keep the product till it becomes scarce. When it gets to this stage, then they sell it to us at Gh700 instead of the Gh375 normal price. That’s what it is.”

He accused the Western Regional Landing Beach Committee of engaging in corrupt deals which has given rise to the low supply of the product.

“It’s the leaders at Sekondi. I was part of a delegation that went to our Premix Committee to place an order at Sekondi. They will in turn send our orders to Accra. So we asked them the reason why some landing beaches receive their orders but others don’t. We wanted to understand why it could take weeks before others will receive their orders. It was there we were told that all the requests from the region are sent as the landing beaches have requested, but it is when it gets there that some orders are taken out without prior notice. We told them we cannot understand and that we have made it our point to put it to the minister to explain. Sometimes, for about two months, there has not been any supply. It’s not easy my brother. It’s not”.

More diversions

In the Jomoro district, one of the OMCs allegedly involved in this fuel diversions, Oando, diverted Premix Fuel meant for Half Assini to Tema on 2nd February this year.

Alinco Oil also diverted the product meant for the Landing Beach Committee at Beyin on the 18th and 26th of April this year to Tema.

Another consignment which was loaded by Alinco Oil into a truck with registration number AS-7937-C on 26th April, found its way back to Tema instead of Benyin. Fishermen in the area also xpressed their disappaointment at the handling of the product.

One of the Chief Fishermen told Citi News that “fishermen are no longer in charge of the sale of premix. It has been taken away from us to the boys. They are now selling it. Fishermen are really suffering. Just look at our canoes lying idle. They have politicized the sale of the product. That’s what the NPP is doing. Their boys have taken over the sale of the product. Fishermen are really suffering. My subjects are really suffering. I have a canoe myself, but how I struggle to get the product, and it’s not easy”.

One of the frustrated fishermen suggested that, the alleged fraudulent distribution of the product has been as a result of the lack of specific Oil Marketing Companies selected to deliver the product to specific landing beaches.

“We went to a meeting in Accra. At this meeting, we proposed that every landing beach committee should be assigned a specific oil marketing company that will be in charge of the supply to a particular landing beach. This we suggested will help the committees to place orders as and when they need the product. The answer we got from the National Premix Landing Beach Committee was that they will not assign any specific OMC to any specific landing beach, and that they will be in charge of the allocation of the OMCs”.

He continued that “since then, that is what we have seen them do. It really worries us. If we could get to know that it is Goil, Star Oil etc, that is supplying the product, we could have placed orders as and when we need it, and at what quantity. As we speak, no landing beach committee member can tell when you they are going to take the next delivery”.

Over 200 instances of pre-mix fuel diversions recorded in 2017

The National Petroleum Authority’s BRV Tracking System, recorded over 200 instances of diverted premix fuel between January and October 2017, but the regulator has failed to sanction the perpetrators.

It has instead been writing letters repeatedly to the National Premix Committee, which says it has no power to prosecute or entirely check the distribution of the product.

–

By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Premix shortage hits W/Region as NPA uncovers massive diversion appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Dubbed “far ban bo” (protecting fisherfolks’ livelihoods), the programme is being implemented by a consortium of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) including Care International, Friends of the Nation (FON) and Oxfam in collaboration with the Fisheries Commission, Fishers Association and Fisheries Alliance.

It started in April this year and would run till 2021.

The aim is to build the capacity of smallholder fishers to improve their livelihoods and to address the challenges of over-fishing and unregulated fishing practices such as illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and law compliance.

It also seeks to empower the law enforcement agencies to sensitise the sector.

It would also focus on tenure rights security for landing sites as well as implement grievances and disputes resolution mechanisms among industrial, inshore and artisan or smallholder fishers.

Launching the programme in Cape Coast, on Thursday, Mr Kwadwo Kyei Nyamoah, Programmes Manager of FON, said the project would strengthen the capacity of fishery associations to engage in efficient legal fishing methods to improve their incomes.

He said the “far ban bo” programme would also be implemented simultaneously in 30 other districts in the Central, Western, Greater Accra and Volta regions.

He said FON was determined to work with all stakeholders especially marine and inland fisheries to uplift the sector.

He said through the programme, smallholder women in the fisheries value chain sector in the beneficiary districts would get financial assistance to enable them expand their businesses, improve food security and quality nutrition for their families.

Mr Yamoah indicated that the fishing sector contributed about 4.5 per cent of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Produce (GDP) and supported the livelihood of about 10 per cent of Ghana’s population and therefore should not be neglected.

Mr Thomas Yaw Adjei Baffour, Deputy Central Regional Minister advised fishermen to adhere to right fishing practices and eschew all acts that would affect the progress of the sector.

He expressed the commitment of government to invest enormous resources in the fishing sector to enable it contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic transformation agenda.

Mr Baffour urged the security agencies to be firm and deal ruthlessly with persons who flouted the fisheries law without fear or favour.

–

Source: GNA

The post EU injects over €2m into sustainable fisheries development appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This is the assertion by the Managing Director of the semi-industrial fishing company, Onyame Fisheries, Joe Onyame, who says about 90 percent of fish consumed in the country are from Chinese fisher folks in the country.

[contextly_sidebar id=”H0dhG5sjJEXEe9dMrazXA7NCr96EenNt”]According to him, the locals do not possess the requisite capital and skill to buy and operate vessels used by the Chinese to harvest fish from the sea for consumption.

“[If the Chinese are banned], it means that we would have to import every fish that we consume, you go to the fishing harbor and check, it used to be the Koreans and they are gone and now the Chinese are in.”

There are growing concerns about the invasion of Ghana’s waters by foreign nationals including Chinese who are using sophisticated methods of depleting the fish stock in the sea.

Some have suggested that government adopts a measure to ban them from engaging in fishing in the country, to protect local fishermen. But Mr. Onyame disagrees that will help.

He explained that, the kind of fishing adopted by fisher-folk in the country, put them in a disadvantaged position to effectively fish to meet the local consumption demand.

“You look at the quantum of fish they [local fisher-folk] bring, and the demand for the fish in the entire country. They lack the technology. When you go to places in Asia, never would you say anyone using what we have here, the Yamaha for fishing. For our fishing we’ve got everything wrong,” he said.

“We don’t use Petrol for fishing because it is expensive; you use Diesel because for fishing, you need power, not speed. We’ve gotten it totally wrong so our fishermen spend a lot of money to buy the fuel, they go, they don’t get anything and it becomes a new debt,” he added.

Meanwhile, a fishing industry analyst, Richter Nii Amarteyfio, has called on banks in Ghana to offer affordable loans to local fishermen to enable them to venture into industrial fishing which is more profitable and will enable them to harvest more fish.

The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, has said her outfit is putting in place measures to regulate the operations of artisanal fishers in reducing the country’s fish supply deficit.

In her view, the inadequate production has led to an annual deficit of about fifty percent; the equivalent of about 600,000 metric tonnes of fish.

This is against the estimated annual demand of one million metric tonnes of fish.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post ‘Fish shortage to hit Ghana if Chinese fishermen are banned’ appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

It is rolling out a strategic program to address their concerns which include the cost and availability of premix fuel.

[contextly_sidebar id=”DW30y77vWWPH2tC1BLiYT6P5A5PjjPkt”]The Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Kofi Dzamesi who made these known in an address at the celebration of this year’s Aboakyer festival at Winneba in the Central Region.

“Very soon the ministry of fisheries will be coming to visit your communities to address all the problems associated with fishing in this community. Especially having to do with premix distribution in this area. The president has this community at heart and that all the promises made during our campaign which has been captured in our manifesto, I am very happy to inform you that all will come off successfully,” he said.

Despite the huge export potential and high local demand, the fishing industry in Ghana, has over the years suffered stock depletion as a result of poor fishing methods and in some cases sea erosion, which destroys beaches and fishing equipment.

Fishermen and fishmongers across the country have lamented the situation which they say threatens their livelihoods.

Some fishermen and fishing groups across the country have unanimously agreed to resist any move by the government to politicize solutions to the many challenges confronting the sector.

Effutu MCE confirmed

Meanwhile, the Effutu Municipal Assembly members have voted overwhelmingly to endorse John Bartholomew Ninsin as the new Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the area.

The Chartered Accountant, polled 24 votes with two rejected votes to make up a total of 26 members of the Assembly.

He was subsequently sworn-in by Mr Isaac Oheneba Kufuor, Effutu Municipal Magistrate Court Judge.

Mr Kwamena Duncan, Central Regional Minister, commended members of the Assembly for their high sense of direction and acceptance of the President’s nominee for Effutu Municipality.

–
By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Gov’t committed to addressing concerns of fisherfolks – Minister appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

She said the Government would pay the premiums for the beneficiaries and urged fishermen across the country to register so that they could receive support that would cushion them for life in the event of any eventuality.

Madam Ayittey gave the advice at the inauguration of a new cold store, which would help prevent post-harvest losses, especially during the bumper season and boost the fishing business in New Takoradi.

[contextly_sidebar id=”8v5RtHQZt4HuivUVCGfBE25uh0pKADjw”]The Minister said the facilities would also create jobs, saying, “twenty refrigerator repairers from the country’s polytechnics would soon be employed in those facilities”.

She said the government secured a seven million-Euro loan facility from the Spanish Government for the construction of the six cold stores.

Other beneficiary communities are Half-Assini, Kromantse, Nyanyano, Shama and Prampram.

Madam Ayittey said various management committees had been constituted to manage and maintain the facilities in order to prolong their life span.

She, therefore, tasked the managers of the facilities to work hard in order to pay back the loan so that the Government could extend it to other coastal communities.

The cold stores would produce commercial iced blocks, which could last between four and five days, therefore, fishermen embarking on fishing expeditions could purchase them to preserve their catch on the high seas.

She said that the National Democratic Congress Administration had supported the fishing industry with various social interventions, including the subsidisation of outboard motors to fishermen.

She urged them to reciprocate the gesture by renewing its mandate on the December 7 Elections.

Mr. Alfred Ekow Gyan, the Deputy Western Regional Minister, said the Government had undertaken numerous infrastructural developments across the country including, roads, health, and educational facilities, as well as connecting many communities onto the national electricity grid, provided potable water to deprived communities and revamped the Western Railway lines.

Osahen Katakyie Busumakora III, the Chief of Takoradi, who chaired the function, lauded the Government for the initiative, and urged the management of the facility to be accountable and transparent with the revenues accruing from the facility so that other coastal communities would benefit.

–

Source: GNA

The post One million fishermen to be insured next – Minister appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Hours passed, but still no signs of them. Neither the waves from the hoisted flags nor the sounds from the outboard motors could be heard.

The fishermen powered their boats several hours into the deep waters only to return with disappointments written all over their faces. Their boats were rather filled with bags of charcoal. With sadness, their women went home with empty pans.

But their children rejoiced over it; it was their turn to cash in on the booming charcoal business. Middle men in the charcoal business from Accra and other cities, engage them to offload each bag for GHC2.00.

Samson, a 17 year old boy, said he is able to earn GHC200 loading 100 bags of charcoal a day.

With their bodies bathed in the black powder, the teenagers of school going age spend the entire day busily offloading bags into trucks for onward distribution to the cities.

The fisheries sub-sector serves as a major source of employment, livelihood and a way of life not only for the coastal areas; but also the inland and aqua culture sectors.

At least about 3 million people are engaged directly and indirectly along the value chain. The fishing industry largely contributes to Ghana’s foreign exchange; at least about $318,036,064 worth of fish mostly exported to the EU.

In spite of the huge export potentials and high local demands, the fishing industry has over the years suffered stock depletion as a result factors which include ‘over-fishing’ and poor fishing methods.

According to figures released by the Ghana Statistical Service on the first quarter GDP  of 2016, the fishing sub sector recorded the least growth of negative 1.1% compared to 0.8%  in the fourth quarter of 2015.

By this, the sub- sector declined by over 1.0 percent in the first quarter compared to the same period in the last quarter of 2015.

The situation is gradually taking fishermen out of business.

As the waters run out of fish stock, riverbanks and shorelines are being flooded with wood fuel. The fishermen and others along the value chain instead cast their nets at the vegetation.

Investigations by Citi News along the banks of the lake Volta and the shorelines of the southern Volta, revealed that wood fuel business is gradually taking over from the fishing business.

Tongor Dzemeni, is a fishing community in the South Dayi District of the Volta Region.

Dzemeni had been a major landing site for fisher folks for decades since the Akosombo Dam was constructed.

But Citi News’ checks at Dzemeni, saw bags of charcoal transported from island communities in Afram plains packed along the riverbank for sale.

The Secretary to Dzemeni Boat Union, Mr. David Gbetey, also lamented about the decline in fish stock, but blamed it on the increase in population and use of illegal fishing methods.

“When we go to fishing we don’t get fish, so we must go for the charcoal so that when we get the money we can buy fish in the market. But the fishes are not in the river because now we are many and also some of us don’t use the proper net to catch fishes. The water level is also reducing” he stated.

The Volta Regional Director of Fisheries, Francis Akorlor, said the massive decline in the fish stock does not only threaten the livelihoods of the fisherman; but also the nutrition needs of Ghanaians, as above 80 percent of the population get their protein requirement from fish.

Indiscriminate felling of trees for firewood and charcoal to either sell or for domestic use is predominant around our water bodies.

Forests in island communities like Busume, Dodi, Kpekuidzi, Batorkope, Hatorkope ,Akpabudzi and Wuwla are being eaten up.

Mr Gbetey is aware of the implication of felling trees; but said they always encourage their people to practice reforestation.

“I can say that one way or the other it can affect our climate, but we also encourage our people to replant the trees when they cut them down” he said.

The coastal communities are naturally forested by mangrove species with coastal waters that are very rich in demersal and pelagic fish population.

These resources provide livelihoods to the communities and contributes to national food security and socio-economic development of the country. Unfortunately these mangroves are being destroyed.

A visit to the estuary at Anyanui saw bands of these mangroves parked at the landing site as fire wood for sale.

Staggering figures made available from the Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO] revealed that, about 69% of all urban households in Ghana use charcoal for cooking and heating. The annual per capita consumption are around 180 kg.

Interestingly, the demand is rather high in the cities; the total annual consumption is about 700,000 tons, 30% of which is consumed in the capital, Accra.

Trees play a crucial role supporting life across the globe. They produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide which causes global warming.

By cutting down trees, we increase the world’s temperature which would to a large extent melt blocks of ice in the world’s oceans and trigger undesirable climatic conditions.

Communities along the shorelines suffer sea erosion chiefly because of deforestation.

There is high demand for electricity particularly in the tropic zones, because citizens have resorted to the use of air-conditioners to enjoy cool breeze in the midst of the heat.

Mr David Gbetey believes the only way to salvage the depletion of the forest is to advise the urban folks to always use the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). By that, he explained the charcoal business would become unattractive.

“For us to stop cutting down trees we would advise those in the cities to use gas than the charcoal because at first charcoal was not our main business but the demand is high that’s why we go into it” he explained.

To ensure that fishermen still stay in business even if the charcoal business becomes unattractive, fishermen are diversifying into a more sustainable and environmentally friendly ventures.

As a result, a group of fishermen in the Volta Region, have recently launched the Volta Inland Fishermen Association (VIFA), to spearhead the agenda of finding alternative sources of livelihood.

The National President of VIFA, Mr. Samson Mahu, told Citi News they have identified fish and vegetable farming as a major means of sustaining their livelihoods.

“We want to diversify our activities into aquaculture and dry season farming. We will grow the fishes ourselves and sell, so we can allow the lake to fallow for the fishes to grow again,” he noted.

 Citi News gathered that, the group currently has over 800 members. The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Francis Ganyaglo, lauded the initiative and pledged government’s commitment in supporting them.

But until their new venture is realized, anytime a fisherman returns from the sea with bags of charcoal, know that the vegetation which supports your life is being destroyed somewhere.

–

By: King Nobert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Email: [email protected]

The post King Nobert writes: When fishermen return home with charcoal appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.