NPP may lose more than 2.7 million votes in coastal communities

Politics of Sunday August 30, 2020

Source: GNA

2020-08-30

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Mike Abakah-Edu, Western Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Council of Canoe Fishermen (GNCFC) reminded President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and those in the fishing industry to enforce the law to stop transshipment activities.

He said that the uncontrolled activities of trawlers and illegal transshipment activities, popularly known as “Saiko”, currently taking place in its waters, deprive artisanal fishermen involved in the artisanal fishing sector of their livelihoods and resources. they impoverish.
He said this, if rectified, would ensure the livelihood of more than 2.7 million Ghanaians.

He noted that the massive infrastructure improvement, undertaken by the New Patriotic Party (PNP) government in the Western Region, especially along the region’s coastal districts, such as landing sites, maritime defense, and roads, among others, it may not lead to votes for the party. on December 7, the polls if this was not marked.

Abakah-Edu, reported that Chapter 718 of the 2020 Budget Statement revealed the Government’s resolution to prohibit all national and international vessels that are involved in illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing in the territorial waters of Ghana.

He regretted that the situation could be terrifying as the loss of livelihoods would contribute to an increase in social vices and crime within fishing communities and society at large.

Mr Abakah-Edu therefore made a passionate appeal to President Akufo-Addo to end the activities of industrial pair trawlers carrying out illegal transshipments of fish in his waters.

He said that GNCFC members recently embarked on a peaceful protest to register their discontent against the threat in Apewosika near Axim at the Nzema East Municipal Assembly (NEMA) in the Western Region.

In early March, fishermen joined by other branches in the region raised red flags and dressed in red bands from the house to the beach holding signs with the inscription “Stop Saiko now” to remember their complaints.

Fishmongers, for their part, cited July through September as their excellent harvest time, but the situation was very different this year, as the fishermen were not getting enough fish from their fishing company.

The fishmongers considered the situation to illegal fishing activities in the sea such as light fishing, industrial pair trawling and fishing with small mesh, among others.

According to them, the situation had threatened their livelihoods as fishing was the main occupation in the area and they called on the Fisheries Commission and the government to take swift action to address their concern.