Gov't distributes 6,000 Outboard motors to fishermen

The Minister of Fisheries, Mrs Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, has announced that the ministry, in collaboration with the Coastal Development Authority and the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), is to distribute over 6,000 outboard motors at subsidised prices to fishermen.

She said it was measure by the government to boost the fishing industry for the well-being of fisher folk.

Mrs Quaye announced this at a durbar in honour of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in Accra yesterday as part of the President’s three-day working tour of the Greater Accra Region.

She said the government was also making efforts to reactivate some state cold stores to allow for fisher folk to store their fish.

“We are also going to give loans to the National Processors Association for onward disbursement, while as many as 3,000 ‘ahotor’ ovens and a number of insulator containers will be supplied to you,” the minister added.

She expressed gratitude to the fishermen for their understanding and cooperation during the closed fishing season.

The Greater Accra Chief Fisherman, Nene Raymond Abayateye, said he was grateful for the introduction of the closed season policy but appealed to the government to extend the season to two months for canoe fishermen and four months for trawlers.

Appreciation

President Akufo-Addo expressed appreciation to the chiefs and the people of Ga Mashie (James Town) for the honour done him.

He, however, called on those involved in light fishing to stop the practice, especially when fishermen themselves had welcomed the closed season policy.

Activities

The President had earlier inaugurated the GH¢51-million, three-kilometre Otano-School Junction road in the Adenta Constituency.

At the St Mary’s Senior High School (SHS) at Korle Gonno, he promised to donate a bus and ensure the construction of a fence wall and the covering of a storm drain in the school, as requested by the authorities.

President Akufo-Addo said the government was determined to provide more amenities for teachers and students, so that “we can have a skilled and capable population”.

“Your time here is to study. It's not everybody who is happy about the free SHS policy. Political forces said the policy was a gimmick, it was too expensive and also could not be done.

“Now they say they will review the policy, but the people of Ghana will not stand by and watch the dreamers come back to power,” he said, and advised the students to perform well in their final examination to justify the investment made in them.

The President also toured Odawna at Adabraka, where he inspected a storm drain, and also cut the sod for the construction of a modern science-based SHS near the Weija Treatment Plant in the Weija-Gbawe Constituency.