THE Secretary of Inshore Boat Owners Association of Ghana (GIBOA) in Sekondi, Nii Botwey, has appealed to government to establish a dry dock at Sekondi to accommodate the fishing business and its related activities.
He said the establishment of a dry dock would not only complement the only dry dock in Tema, but also create jobs and boost fishing activities in the Western Region.
Additionally, he said the dry dock would ease pressure on fishermen, reduce the cost of repair work of boats, as well as reduce minor accidents at sea due to the poor condition of vessels.
All the minor accidents occurring at sea and endangering the lives of fisher folk particularly in parts of the coastal stretch of the region, he said, could stop following the establishment of the proposed dry dock.
Nii Botwey lamented that many boat owners are forced to use rickety boats for fishing expeditions because of the cut-throat price being charged for repair works at the Tema dry dock.
He said on the average, it cost a boat owner over Ghc5,000 to undertake repairs at the Tema dry dock, adding, a permanent dry dock at Sekondi would end the monopoly being enjoyed by the Tema dry dock operators.
In his view, the construction of another dry dock would introduce competition, reduce the cost of doing business, and provide opportunity for the industry to expand.
