Fisheries Minister must be called to order – Sam George

Member of Parliament for the Ningo Prampram Constituency, Sam George has asked President Akufo-Addo to call the Minister of Fisheries to order over her handling of issues of fisherfolks along the Coast.

Mr. George is unhappy over a number of issues related to petrol and light fishing along Ghana’s coast.

Addressing the media, Mr. Sam George accused the Minister, Elizabeth Naa Afoley of setting up a task force made up of fishermen to check illegal fishing activities in various areas without making provision for their security.

“…She set up a task force made up of fishermen, not the security services. On the floor of the House she said she had assurances from the Ministry of Defence. That again is incorrect because she had told the Fishermen at a stakeholder meeting that the Navy and Marine police unit are corrupt and always bribed and so she does not trust them to combat light fishing and so she empowered a group of fishermen to go onto the seas and act as a vigilante force.

“Some of these fishermen are from my constituency and the question I ask the Minister is what training and what welfare package has she put in place for this task force? Today as we speak, five of the young men in my constituency who were part of this taskforce have been injured and I have to take care of them by myself,” Mr. George complained.

He further alleged that the Minister brought young men from her constituency to attack some fishermen who came to Parliament to lodge complaints about the taskforce she had set up.

“It took the intervention of parliamentary police to ensure that some fishermen who came from Ningo, Ada and Sege to Parliament today to register their displeasure were safe. Some of these women were even insulting me infront of the Minister,” said Sam Gorge.

“She was asked to come and ask questions but she showed clearly that she was not on top of issues. She doesn’t understand the rudiments of being a Minister,” he added.

But the Minister in response, denied these claims, clarifying that no one from her constituency attacked fishermen who were present in Parliament to express their concerns.

“I didn’t bring anyone; my people got wind of others being brought to the House and came to listen. The people who came didn’t insult anyone and didn’t cause any disturbance.”