The Fisheries taskforce with the arrested illegal fishermen
SOME 15 fishermen from Ada in the Greater Accra Region have been apprehended on the Prampram waters for allegedly engaging in illegal fishing.
The fishermen who were allegedly armed with guns, ammunitions and machetes were arrested by the Fisheries Volunteer Taskforce after series of confrontations on the sea. In the process, some members of the taskforce got injured.
The arrest comes on the heels of a similar operation last month in which several fishermen from Tema and Ada who were engaged in illicit fishing were busted by the taskforce.
The taskforce revealed that the 15 fishermen attacked them during interrogations, but were overpowered.
A search conducted on them, according to the taskforce, revealed 5 single barrel guns, several machetes, clubs, as well as generators and lights used for their illicit fishing activities.
The suspects who were paraded for public viewing, confirmed engaging in light fishing, but, apparently denied ownership of the guns.
The arrested fishermen were quickly handed over to the Prampram Police following attempts by some irate youth of the community to assault them.
The angry youth, however, followed them to the police station threatening to vent their spleen on them. It took the timely intervention of the District Police Commander, and the Chief of the area, to bring the situation under control.
Addressing the charged residents, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Ningo-Prampram District Assembly, Jonathan Paa Nii Doku, assured the residents that the suspects will be made to face the full rigors of the law.
Leader of the fisheries volunteer taskforce, Tetteh Asempa, blamed the security agencies for doing very little to aid the taskforce in their fight against illicit fishing practices in the area. According to the taskforce, they had, on another occasion, impounded weapons from some fishermen purported to be implicated in illicit fishing on the sea.
Meanwhile, the suspected fishermen are expected to be arraigned before court after investigations have been completed.
From Vincent Kubi, Prampram