Nana Kweigyan, National Chairman, Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana, has raised concerns over the government’s failure to provide adequate support before the closed season.
He lamented that the support provided is insufficient, adding that fishermen have been left with low incomes to support their families during the ban.
He stated that they would have preferred money instead of the bag of rice given to them.
He said the closed fishing season is going to make their feeding very difficult, and the government should put in place something to make life better for them.
Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5 FM, he indicated that the government should rather put in place proper financial support for each fisherman because what they have given us is not enough.
He said “the biological period of the scientist, which is July, August, and September, is the bumper harvest and our economic period. So we have a situation where the period of the ban is the same as our bumper harvest. They have explained that the period, also known as the biological rest period, is the spawning period of fish stocks. The break from fishing allows the fish to lay eggs towards the replacement of the fish population. But that is the time for our bumper harvest.
Every close season is a challenge for not only fishermen but also the women who also smoke the fish and sell it. You can therefore understand that this is an issue that has affected a chain of workers, including canoe owners and other individuals. However, as we sacrifice this close season, we should have the desired results. We should examine the process and know if we are getting the expected outcomes. The fishermen who also don’t have other jobs aside from fishing should also be considered,” he said.
He disclosed that the distribution of the rice, tin tomatoes, and other items only started in 2021 through 2024. In 2019, they did not give us anything. The distribution of the items started in 2021. The rice and the other items are not enough. It will be fair to say that those who do not have any jobs are the ones who need it the most, so it can be more beneficial. A crew of more than five people sometimes get only five bags of the 5 kg of rice, which becomes difficult to share. A group of three is also giving only a bag of rice, which is woefully inadequate.
Some of the women were also given freezers; others also received fishing nets, but we believe that instead of the rice and other items, the authorities should rather give the fishermen a cash transfer because there are people who need it.”
He was also not happy that they were not consulted before the closed season was announced.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
