Fishermen in Ngyiresia, a community in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis of the Western Region, have appealed to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to expedite the distribution of premix fuel along the west coast.
According to them, since the end of the closed season last month, they had not received
premix fuel supplies, a situation that was severely impacting the work of about 200 fishermen and the local fisheries economy.
In an interview with the Ghanaian Times at the landing beach on Friday, the Chief Fisherman of Ngyiresia, Nana Kwesi Ackon, expressed worry that the prolonged delays in fuel supplies had created a tense atmosphere within the community.
He explained that Ngyiresia typically received about 3,000 gallons of premix fuel every two weeks, and each fishing crew required about three drums (210 gallons) of fuel for a single expedition
However, with the shortage, they had been forced to purchase fuel from commercial vendors using hard cash, which had led to borrowing money from others in the community.
“If the subsidised fuel supplies were regular, it would greatly alleviate our burdens. Without consistent supplies, the fisheries economy could collapse, with long-term negative effects on the industry if immediate action is not taken”, he appealed.
He acknowledged that the closed season had improved fish catches, but noted that the task of fishing remained challenging.
Furthermore, he indicated that if the fishes were not found closer to shore within three days, crews would need to travel longer distances as far as Axim, Half Assini, and up to Togo waters sometimes and spend up to eight days at sea to find a good catch.
Nana Ackon said these lengthy expeditions required substantial fuel investment, and subsidised premix fuel would significantly help manage the situation with a ripple effect on the entire value chain.
He noted that despite inquiries at the Premix Secretariat in Sekondi, there had been no update on fuel supplies for the past two weeks.
During a visit to the Ngyiresia beach at about 7:00 a.m on Friday, the Ghanaian Times observed that most boats had already docked, with only a few returning from their expeditions with some catch.
Other fishermen were preparing to set out for new fishing trips but were already complaining of facing difficulties due to the lack of available fuel.
They claimed they had no choice, but to purchase fuel from commercial vendors at higher prices.
As of the time of the visit, the Ngyiresia premix fuel depot was found to be closed, and empty drums stacked at the site were still waiting for deliveries from Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) in Tema.
A fisherman at the beach, Joseph Sam, added that, “Fuel is the main driver of fishing, and any issues with premix fuel create severe hardships for Ngyiresia.”
The Operations Officer at the Premix Secretariat in the Western Region, Rev. Philip Bainson, confirmed the delays in premix fuel supplies and attributed the situation to production issues at TOR.
He expressed hope that supplies would resume soon to address the concerns of Ngyiresia’s fishermen.
BY CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, NGYIRESIA
