Premix Fuel: The Achilles Heel Of The NDC Government

The NDC promised to introduce pragmatic policies and programmes that would include regulating the activities of BIGGER FOREIGN FISHING TRAWLERS did not enjoy enough catch to the detriment of LOCAL FISHERMEN since foreign big trawlers had destroyed the work of local fishermen and products of market women were Not being patronized because of the bad policies of the NPP government, then in power in 2008 which allowed PAIR TRAWLING to flourish.

The NDC government must ensure that the business of the fishers folk in the Central, Western and Volta regions are vibrant and curative. The government should revive and promote the fishing sectors to improve the living standards of the fisher folks.

Access to premix fuel should NOT become a big problem facing the fishermen along the coast.

This writer visited Cape Coast beach last April to interact with the fisher folks as an individual, after visiting the Cape Coast and Elmina Slave Castles and I was told that the price of premix fuel when the NPP was in power was GH¢ 1.79, but it now sells at GH¢ 3.00 under President Mills’ government of the NDC.

The cost of an out board motor which sold for GH¢ 2,800 in 2008 now sells at GH¢ 5,000 and this essential fishing equipment can never be purchased by the fishermen who are in the majority along the coastal belt.

DISTRIBUTION OF PREMIX FUEL

During the NPP regime, local premix committees were formed for each landing beach with Chief Fishermen as CHAIRMEN, the NDC must maintain that system to ensure fair distribution o premix fuel and to AVOID diversion of the product.

Most individuals and some groups have always sought to do business with this facility which is heavily subsidized by government thereby depriving the END USERS - THE FISHERMEN from benefiting from this facility, and in the end the government’s aim of HELPING POOR FISHERMEN IS DEFEATED. All monitoring assistants overseeing the distribution of premix fuel MUST make sure that the end-user meaning the fisherman is aware of the quality of premix fuel being sent to him for his exclusive use.

I have described premix fuel as the Achilles heal if the NDC government because what I heard from some fishermen in Cape Coast last April may NOT be different from fishermen at Elmina, Sekonde, Moree, Aboadze, Apam, Shama, Aboesi or Dixcove. Most District Chief Executives, Regional Ministers, their deputies and even Special Assistants in the NPP administration, amassed billions of cedis from the diversion of premix fuel that was sold at the BLACK MARKET without the consent of those Chief Fishermen who were the END USERS from January 2001 – December 2008 and that was the main reason why Hon. Christine Churcher went on her knees in the hot sands of Cape Coast beach in the 2008 general election begging the fisher folk helplessly to forgive her party, the NPP and vote for it.

Monitoring Assistants, Local Premix committee members, members of the National and Regional Premix committees MUST lead by examples by being honest, truthful patriotic and God-fearing by ensuring that the fishermen enjoys the fruits of their labour in order to improve their living conditions, so that the NDC government is given the credit, and when that happen, they will know that President John Evans Atta Mills, their own son did NOT deceive or abandon them at all – Let our fisher folks smile daily throughout the 8 year term of the NDC under President Mill. We must never repeat the past mistakes of the NPP government from 2001 – 2008, when premix was an avenue for deceit, political corruption and fat lies.

Is anybody listening very well?

I am done.

Distribution

All Media Houses

Signed

Clement Sangaparee

(United Cadres Front – Obuasi)

Email: clementsang@yahoo.com