Fishermen at the Tema Fishing Harbour are appealing to government to increase the premix fuel it allocates to them weekly.
According to them the appeal, has become necessary because of the influx of fishermen from other fishing communities to the area.
Tema Awudum chief fisherman, Nii Odamettey, tells Citi Business News the four times a week allocation must be increased to seven or eight.
He explains ‘the current allocation usually leads to shortage of premix fuel’.
“We are pleading with government to increase our allocation because we cannot say we are going to serve only the people of Tema, we have over 500 canoes and other fisher – folks come to Tema and when they need the premix we must give them.”
He also wants the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture to increase its inspection on vessels, so they comply with the country’s fishing laws.
Meanwhile the Chief Fisherman of Tema Awudum Nii Odametey has denied allegations that premix allocated to fishermen in Tema is being diverted to people who are not in the fishing industry.
“We haven’t seen that here before. We will not divert premix allocated to us.”
By: Norvan Acquah-Hayford/citifmonline.com/Ghana