Ghana’s fishermen along the coast of Ghana have issued an ultimatum to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to deal with the issue of the illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Ghanaian waters, lest they will advise themselves.
They complain the practice is gradually depriving them of their livelihood, and they cannot take it anymore.
The fight against illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) fishing has taken on a fresh heat without signs of any abatement as the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council embarked on a peaceful protest along the beaches of the four main coastal regions of the country: Western, Central, Greater Accra and Volta to force government to end the mother of all fishing illegalities, Saiko, before the end of the year as promised by His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo.
In a press statement issued Thursday, leadership of the council expressed grave concern that artisanal fishermen have experienced one of the worst fishing seasons in a long while, this year, adding that fishermen across all the four regions have gone to Sea and come back with little or no catch.
The chief fishermen of Apewosika, Nana Kojo Pegu, and Nana Kofi Bentsil, Chief fishermen of lower Axim say the menace has wreaked dire financial havoc on their families and so if by the close of this year government has not rooted out Saiko they will take matters into their own hands.
Mike Abaka-Edu, the Regional Secretary for the Ghana National Canoe and Fishermen Council (GNCFC) said if the government fails to solve this IUU menace – which is the heart desire of every fisherman in Ghana, they will leave their Homeland to wherever they can find greener pastures.
