Better times ahead for fisherfolk — Akufo-Addo
The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has assured fisher folk across the coastal areas of the country of better times and improved conditions of work under an Akufo-Addo-led NPP government.
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Addressing fisher folk at Apeosika in the Evalue Dwira constituency in the Western Region on Tuesday, Nana Akufo-Addo noted that with Ghana’s fishing population accounting for 10 per cent of the country’s total population, it was important that measures were put in place to stimulate growth in the sector.
This growth, he said, would be achieved through deliberate and concerted efforts of his government aimed at increasing the contribution to GDP of the fishing sector from the current levels of 4.5 per cent to 10 per cent of GDP.
Stimulating growth
The first measure towards stimulating growth in the sector, he said, would be to tackle aggressively the problem of light fishing activities across the country, which is depleting the marine stocks of Ghana’s waters.
The second measure, he noted, would be to establish landing sites and fishing harbours in Axim and in other parts of the coastal belt of the country.
Nana Akufo-Addo, prior to his encounter with the fisherfolk, paid a courtesy call on Awulae Atibrukusu III, the Chief of Axim, who, in his remarks to the NPP leader, stated that it was under the NPP, when Madam Gladys Asmah was the Minister of Fisheries, that the sod was cut for the construction of a landing site in Axim.
He also said the construction of a sea defence wall to protect the citizenry of Axim was of utmost importance.
On the issue of the rising cost of fishing inputs, Nana Akufo-Addo explained that the situation was the result of the mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy by the NDC government, stressing that “if you have good governance you can solve the problems of your country.”
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Outboard motor
He stressed that the increase in the price of an outboard motor, from GH¢2,950, at the end of 2008 to the current price of GH¢10,900, as per statistics obtained from the Ghana Canoe and Fishermen’s Council, was an example of the effects of economic mismanagement under the last eight years of the NDC government.
“We in the NPP are bringing good governance to Ghana to solve the problems of the people of this country, so we can bring relief to every Ghanaian,” he said to loud cheers of approval from the gathering.
The NPP flag bearer was at a loss as to why the sale of premix fuel for fishing activities had been put under the management of district chief executives and political appointees in the country.
“Let us leave the fishermen to deal with the premix fuel themselves. That way, there will be no politicisation or cronyism in this matter. We can only build Ghana when we all put our shoulders to the wheel. We (in the NPP) are not going to politicise issues of economic activities in this country. Whether you are NDC or NPP, we are all Ghanaians and we all have to join hands and work hard for the development of this country”, he added.