[ad_1]
Ghana’s National Council of Canoe Fishermen (GNCFC) has mounted a strong advocacy for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Minister Designate Mavis Hawa Koomson following the uproar on social media during her investigation. background.
Users of social networks and some citizens felt that the designated minister lacked one of the basic tools, that is, “her command of English”, that she will need to run the Ministry of Fisheries.
But in a statement released Tuesday, the council described the attack as unnecessary and an inappropriate priority.
According to them, as main stakeholders in the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, they are looking for a leader who will find lasting solutions to their main concerns and not necessarily the vocabulary that the leader manages.
“It is worth noting that the banal focus on English proficiency is misplaced and diverts attention from the pertinent issues that emerged from the exercise. As fishermen, our primary concern and expectation is how the Designated Minister intends to address pesky issues like Seiko, Light Fishing, the influx of foreign fishing vessels, and the need for a foreign vessel to conduct scientific research, among others.
Fortunately, she addressed these and many more. We share the sentiments of several well-meaning Ghanaians who, from the aftermath of the investigative exercise, felt that proficiency in the English language is not necessarily a sign of competence, ”the statement read.
In addition, the Council indicated that there are enough educated people with good English proficiency in the Ministry of Fisheries, so that, should Madam Koomson be approved by the Nominating Committee of Parliament, she will have their support.
The Council further recognized the achievements noted by Awutu MP Senya East when she was Minister for Special Development Initiatives.
In her view, Madam Koomson will solve the challenges faced by stakeholders in the industry.
“Accordingly, we encourage the media to set the agenda for a liberal conversation on how the promises made clear in the current government’s manifesto regarding the content of the investigative exercise will be executed.
“We believe that the President, His Excellency, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who chose the effective outgoing Minister Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, in her wisdom, chose the appointed Minister to fulfill his vision for the fishing industry; having assessed her competence on many fronts, including her performance as a member of Parliament for the Awutu Senya constituency and a former minister responsible for special development initiatives ”.
