New Takoradi fishers unhappy with food distribution

A cross-section of fishers at the New Takoradi Community has expressed dismay at how the relief items, meant to cushion them during the closed fishing season, were distributed by leadership.

They claimed that although 60 bags of rice were initially given, only 50 bags were distributed, with some fishers receiving less than five kilograms of rice.

The fishers conveyed their concerns to the Ghana News Agency during a visit to the shore to monitor activities within the closed season period for fishers.

Some were seen mending their old nets, others weaving new nets, while others rearranged their nets, decorating and painting their boats.

Kwame Six, alias Uncle Six, a watchman of one of the boats at the shore, said the initiative to allow the sea to have some rest was also helping the fishers to take a rest from the daily hassles at sea and improve their health and well-being.

"But we are not happy about how the distribution went… some of us did not even get any at all… others got five cups of rice and some four cups, which cannot sustain us even for a day," he lamented.

He proposed that the sharing of the relief items must be done under the strict supervision of the military, using the list of names collated from each canoe or boat.

Theophilus Paa Sam, another fisher, added that since the boat owners paid licensing fees, they should be treated differently from canoe owners.

"For instance, use the serial names of boats and team members in sharing relief items… no middleman," he suggested.

However, they were happy that the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture was implementing the closed season and prayed that it would be sustained.

The Closed Season begins on July 1 and ends on July 30 every year.