Fisheries minister calls for premix fuel money audit

The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, has tasked the National Premix Fuel Committee to audit how community funds of 53 per cent intended for premix fuel allocation have been utilised over the years to ensure accountability and transparency. 

She said the 53 per cent earmarked for fishing communities must be used to support development projects and initiatives that would benefit the entire community.

The minister made the call when she inaugurated an 11-member Board for the National Premix Fuel Committee.

The National Premix Fuel Committee is established in accordance with the National Premix Fuel Committee Regulations, 2016 (L.I 2233), with the mandate to facilitate the procurement and distribution of premix fuel to the fishing communities.

Regulation 27(1) mandates all Landing Beach Committees (LBCs) to distribute the proceeds of the margins from the sale of premix as follows, 53 per cent to the fishing community, 12 per cent to the office of the Chief Fisherman or the Headman, 18 per cent to other members of the committee, 10 per cent to the secretary and and seven per cent to the pump attendant.

The minister, therefore, urged the National Premix Fuel Committee to ensure the use of these funds for their intended purposes.

This, she said, underscored the government's commitment to leveraging community-based resources for sustainable development.

Board members

Members of the board are Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Defeamekpor, Chairperson; Ekow Ebow Mensah, Secretary, Premix Administrator; Marian W. A. Kpakpah, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture; Stephen Langmatey Nadu, Ministry of Energy and Green Transition; Rosina Williams, Fisheries Commission; Mamaga Delight Esi Ametepe, National Inland and Canoe Fishermen Council.

The others are, Richard Kofi Dadzie, Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council, Jacob Kabore Tetteh Ageke, National Fisheries Association of Ghana; Dr Riverson Oppong, Industry Coordinator of The Association of Oil Marketing Companies; James Essoun, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture; Julius Annang Ashitey, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture and Josephine Yankson, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Landing beaches

With respect to the state and conditions of the landing beaches, the minister indicated that the ministry would continue to leverage technology to automate and enforce a tracking regime for premix fuel distribution to ensure transparency and efficiency.

She urged stakeholders to ensure the selection and composition of the LBCs was in accordance with the law and that the right people were chosen to represent them at the local level to ensure efficient use of the margins accrued from the sale of premix fuel at the local level.

Ms Arthur said, the LBC’s would play a pivotal role in ensuring that premix fuel resources were equitably distributed and managed in accordance with the law, while supporting the livelihoods of artisanal fishers and fostering coastal community development.

According to her, the government remained committed to enforcing existing regulations that mandates every landing beach to have a dedicated committee overseeing premix fuel distribution.

She emphasised that this system would be strictly adhered to in order to ensure transparency and to curb unfair practices, saying “the Government is committed to ensuring accountability for the distribution of the proceeds of the margins from the sale of premix fuel in accordance with section 27 of L.I. 2233.”

The mnister reaffirmed the ministry’s dedication to ensuring the effective distribution and availability of premix fuel to promote sustainable fisheries management and bolster the socio-economic well-being of fishing communities nationwide, saying premix fuel remains an essential commodity for the artisanal fishing sector, which supports the livelihoods of thousands of coastal and inland fishing communities.

Writer’s email:rebecca.quaicoe-duho@graphic.com.gh