Government has done enough -Allotey Jacobs

The Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs has accused some fishermen of deliberately highlighting unexisting problems to make the current government unpopular.

According to him, the NDC government has done enough for the nation’s fishing industry therefore; it is time for fishermen to take charge of their own affairs.

“Government has subsidised premix, government has built a prototype of a service station for them to always have enough premix for their fishing. What else again? What else again?” he asked during an interview on Citi FM.

His remarks come on the back of complaints from some fisherfolk in Winneba regarding the distribution of premix fuel and the failure of government to support their fishing activities, which they say is negatively hampering their business.

However, Mr. Allottey Jacobs clarified that he is in no way denying that the fishermen are facing serious challenges in their operations but insisted that “a group among them is trying to play politics into this to benefit some people.”

The Central Regional NDC Communications Director said: “What you [fishermen] need for your fishing, government has provided them. Government has even gone to the extent of providing them with pension funds. Government is now registering all canoes for us to know the actual need of our fishermen by knowing their population so that whatever government invests in the fishing industry, government can yield it.”

He said these interventions are enough to protect the country’s fishing industry.

He nonetheless charged the fishermen to take it upon themselves to prevent illegal activities from affecting their fishing activities.

“The problem now at our fishing villages has to do with the weaning of sand that has created problem for them when they are landing at the beaches and it is for them now to be responsible to protect whatever they have there. That is all!” he said.

He stressed that “government will not always come to bring policemen to guard their shores. It is for them to protect it. It is for them to fight against the weaning of sand at their beaches.”

Source: Pulse.com.gh