Business News of Thursday, 24 June 2021
Source: Daniel Kaku, Contributor
2021-06-24
The close fishing season starts from July 1 to August 31
The Executive Director for Center for Leadership and Democratic Governance (CLDG), Apatsea Isaac Kwasi, has appealed to the government of Ghana to as a remedy for the close fishing season 2021 provide special relief to fishermen as means of survival.
According to the Ministry of Fisheries website, about five thousand (5000) people, directly and indirectly, survive in the fishing industry. Adding that a ban will deny them their means of livelihood during the close season.
The fishing ban will last from 1st July to 31st August 2021.
Mr. Apatsea Isaac Kwasi of CLDG is again suggesting that with the huge burden brought about by COVID-19, fishermen and others in the fishing industry, the only option to keep them going is to provide special incentives for them.
“In the government’s plan to close the fishing season, a replica of what was done to traders spearheaded by the NBSSI same should be done for the fishermen to keep their survival. Such plan will also provide easy way for government to conduct the closure season without agitation from the fishermen since government has enough power to implement its decision on the best interest of the citizenry.”
CLDG is of the opinion that since this is not the first time of applying the ban on fishing in Ghana, a special plan should be put in place to ensure that the welfare of fisherfolk is taking care of.
Mr. Apatsea, is further appealing to the fishermen to understand the government if the door is opened to implement such relief.