Ahwoi Accuses Fishermen Of Insincerity And Opportunism

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr. Kwesi Ahwoi, has accused fishermen of insincerity and opportunism in their dealing with politicians. Speaking recently to fishermen at Tema, Mr. Ahwoi stated, �Because of your two-facedness, smart politicians would continue to instigate you to hit onto the streets to demonstrate against the government when the same laws you have clamoured for grabs you for illegalities. What kind of country do we live in?� The Minister was responding to the outbursts of some fisher folks from Chorkor, a fishing community in Greater Accra that the Fisheries Commission and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) have failed to arrest persons who use light for fishing. Mr. Ahwoi, together with the Tema mayor, chairman for the Fisheries Commission, director for pre-mix fuel and director for the Fisheries Commission, was at the Tema Fishing Harbour recently to launch the sale of some new outboard motors imported into the country by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB). The Chorkor fisher folks claimed that because they have pledged to abide by the Ministry�s law banning fishermen from fishing with light, they have for years now been living in abject poverty while their colleagues in other fishing communities continued to use light to fish without net. According to the fishermen, the law that bans light fishing is biased against them because their colleagues in Tema and elsewhere are left to go scot-free despite going against the law. Mr. Ahwoi responded that the fishermen were responsible for their own successes and failures, saying, �You do not want to help the government to win the fight against light fishing, after you have unanimously called for its ban.� He further stated, �When the Ministry, the Fisheries Commission and security agencies act on your own laws to grab your colleagues as suspects for fishing with light, a politician and opponent of the government stimulates you to protest against the government for inconveniencing you and trying to starve you.� The Minister continued, �You the same people make a U-turn and complain bitterly and blast the Ministry and government for staying aloof while some of your colleagues go to fish with light. What kind of nation are we building for ourselves and the generations yet unborn? You must stop blowing hot and cold and help the government make your enterprise a lucrative one for you all. Mr. Ahwoi categorically mentioned Tema, Elmina and Axim as fishing communities along the coast where fishing with light is practiced with blatant disregard for the laws that bind those in the fishing industry. He pointed out that unless the fisher folks act as their own watchdogs and report that recalcitrant and disobedient colleagues to the security agency and leaders, the Ministry and government cannot know what happens on the high seas. �The success or failure of your vibrant and lucrative business depends on your own vigilance and sincerity. Expose your disobedient colleagues for the law to deal with them to serve as deterrent to others,� the Sector Minister said.