Fisherfolk appeals to government to protect their livelihood
A delegation of Chief Fishermen from Kwahu South District, on Monday appealed to the government to protect their livelihood on the Volta Lake, due to the ongoing harvesting of tree stumps under water.
Members of the delegation included Mr Addo Pinto of Ketepa, Senior Chief fisherman and Community Elder; Mr Moses Nutifafa of Asuobonten Odumase, Secretary to the Chief Fisherman; Mr Moses Aggudey of Kwahu Adoso, Headman and Mr Agudo Tettey Sebbie of Ketepa, Secretary.
The spokesman of the group, Mr Nutifafa presented their grievances to government for redress in an interview with Ghana News Agency in Accra.
He noted that harvesting of timber under water is destroying their fishing business; adding that fishes breed well within 15 to 25 metres off shore of a river or a lake, and if this ecology is destroyed the fishes would be gone forever.
The Secretary to the Chief Fisherman said the government and Clark Sustainable Resource Development Limited, the Company contracted to undertake the harvesting of timber under water, should meet with stakeholders such as Environmental Protection Agency, the various District Assemblies, Members of Parliament in the area and fisher folks to address the issue.
He said although members of the delegation are not against the harvesting of the timber, the tree stumps serve as pegs during fishing while the areas around the stumps are very fertile grounds for fishes to breed.
Mr Nutifafa noted that the machine used in harvesting the timber is polluting the lake, which is their only source of drinking water.
He said members have taken loans from banks to embark on their fishing business and so if other alternatives are not provided for them, they would lose their livelihood.
“This exercise has sent fishermen packing from Asuogyaman, Upper Manya and Fanteakwa to the Kwahu area, now that the Company is about to start the harvesting there, where do they want us to relocate?” Mr Nutifafa asked.
He said the way some leading government functionaries are parading in the area in the name of trying to solve the problem by cowing the people to be silent is rather creating anger and heightening tension.
He alleged that their threats of bringing in the military and police to the area next week to undertake the exercise is very intimidating.
Mr Charles Dodoo, Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Fishing Communities urged Clark Sustainable Resource Development Limited to honour the pledge they made in 2006 that: “When the project impacts negatively on a community, we will suspend further operation and address the issue”.
He advised government to pay attention to the plight of the fisher folks.
Source: GNA