Deputy Fisheries Minister says he was misrepresented in report

Accra, Dec. 12, GNA - The Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Mr Daniel Christian Dugan has reacted to a GNA story and we publish below his rejoinder verbatim. "I wish to draw attention to the back page publication of the Daily Graphic of Thursday, December 1, with the heading: Inland fishing port for 3 communities. Along Volta Lake".

"The said publication attributed to a GNA report quoted me as saying that the Ministry of Fisheries of which I am the Deputy Minister, has earmarked Akateng, Dzemeni and Abotoase which are fishing communities along the Volta Lake for the provision of inland fishing ports. It further went on to state that the towns are also among inland fishing communities slated for agricultural projects for which experts from Israel and China will arrive soon to conduct feasibility studies. "I was said to have announced this at a durbar of chiefs and people at Akateng in the Eastern region, during their "Noryam" festival. "I wish to state that I made no such statements at the function. "I said that Akateng could be considered for a fishing port, however, at the moment Dzemeni and Abotoase are the only lake side communities earmarked for fishing ports as announced in the 2006 Budget Statement. This was in response to an appeal by the MP for the NPP Government to consider constructing a fishing port at Akateng.

"I also said that due to a number of approaches by the DCE, on the possibilities of establishing acquaculture /fish farming projects at Akateng, the Ministry may send down experts to conduct feasibility reports in the area for that purpose and would most likely invite the Israelis and Chinese to set up the fish farms. I never mention Dzemeni and Abotoase in this statement. "I will also be extremely grateful if you could set the records straight, since the statements in the first three paragraphs are factually incorrect. The Ministry and the Government will be greatly embarrassed when expected to undertake projects that have not been budgeted for (end)."