Boat-Owners Association Secretary, John Kpeli
The Boat-Owners and fishermen who operate along the Volta Lake have appealed for the government’s intervention, as they accuse the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) activists of hijacking premix fuel and selling them at exorbitant prices along the Volta Lake.
In a statement to the media, Secretary to the Boat Owners Association, John Kpeli, alleged the situation is affecting their businesses.
He said in the past, premix fuel in Ghana was always sold at a subsidized to fishermen but that can not be said about the current administration whose officials have hijacked the premix fuel.
“This behavior has greatly brought undefined hardship to people along the volta lake making it difficult for them to even feed their families. Boats are idle, fisher nets are left to dry because there is no premix fuel available for them to carry out their daily activities,” Kpeli stated.
Below is the full statement:
In the past, Premix fuel in Ghana has always been sold at a subsidized to fishermen and other related users to support their business in other to increase productivity along the Volta lake. This has helped the users of premix fuel until the NPP members have created a cartel and hijacked the premix fuel, selling it at exorbitant prices in the dark. This has made it very difficult for intended users to have access.
The situation has worsened recently since the greater part of the consignment is sold to other users who are not captured under the Scopes. The National Inland and Boat-Owners Association who are supposed to supervise the sells and its regulations are set aside. This has resulted in low control over the distribution of any premix fuel that comes to those who need it to be used along the Volta lake.
This Cartel which is been supported by people in authority have their own malicious way of handling it. This development has brought a total hardship and low productivity both in fishing and efficient transportation of people and cargo from one community to the other.
This behavior has greatly brought undefined hardship to people along the volta lake making it difficult for them to even feed their families. Boats are idle, fisher nets are left to dry because there is no premix fuel available for them to carry out their daily activities.
The Boat-Owners and fishermen who operate along the volta lake are appealing to the government to sit up as a matter of urgency to clear all this irresponsible cartel and its members so that the premix fuel can be used for its purpose and intentions. Strongly, the association is sending a heartfelt request to the government to regularise and to put the right people to manage the premix fuel especially, the new landing beaches which are in the process to be formed. They also hope the government’s intentions about the premix fuel will be enforced and utilized proportionally to alleviate the pending hardship along the Volta lake.
John Kpeli
Boat-Owners Association Secretary