Ga priest fights fishing ban

Nuumo Blafo II, Wulomo for Ga Mashie in the Greater Accra Region, has asked the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture to take a second look at the one-month ban placed on all fishing activity, which, he says, will affect the Homowo festival of the Ga people.

According to him, the Homowo festival is characterised by fishing activities, and, so, the ban will negatively affect the observance of this year’s anniversary.

To that end, he has pleaded with the government to reconsider the timing of the ban and the duration.

The ban affects all fishing except for Tuna. The Ministry announced the closed season on Friday, 13 July 2018 as part of measures to ensure stock recovery to curtail the depletion of Ghana's fish stock. Sector Minister Elizabeth-Afoley-Quaye announced that the ban starts from 7 August to 4 September 2018 and will affect all fleet.

She said: “It is needful that people are sanctioned when they don’t comply with the law but that is not the interest of government, our duty is to make people comply voluntarily to the closed season.”

The Ministry had said that fishermen caught fishing during the closed season will be fined between $500,000 and $2 million.

“A person who engages in fishing during a closed season declared, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than $500,000 and not more than $2million in respect of a local industrial or semi-industrial vessel; or 100 penalty units and not more than 500 penalty units in any other case and in addition, any catch, fishing gear or vessel or any combination of them used in the commission of the offence, maybe forfeited to the state,” Ms Afoley-Quaye said.

But speaking on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM hosted by Chief Jerry Forson Wednesday, 18 July, Nuumo Blafo II, said: “We plead with the government to hold on with the ban until we are done with the Homowo.

“During the festival, the women will look up to their husbands to bring home fish from the sea to prepare food for the occasion, and, so, if there is no fishing activity, how will they be able to prepare the meals?

“We don’t use meat for the meals, we also don’t use cold store fish, and, so, the ban will negatively affect the celebrations. The ban in that month is very dangerous.”

Similarly, a royal from Ga Mashie, Nii Tackey Commey, pleaded with government to reconsider the ban.

Nii Commey said although they support government policies that are geared towards ensuring quality living conditions of the people, the timing of the ban is problematic for the Ga State.

He told host Forson: “Is the policy going to affect the people? Why can’t you involve the people in the decision? One-month ban? How are the fishermen going to survive?

“We agree that there should be policy that will sustain fishing in the sea but in doing that you need to consider the effects the decision will have on the stakeholders. We will plead with the ministry to hold on with the implementation of the ban.”