Fishermen at Ekrufu Mpoano, near the Bosumtwi-Sam Fishing Habour in the Western Region, have debunked claims by some other fishermen in Sekondi that Kweku Sersah-Johnson, the Chairman of the National Premix Committee, has been engaged in the diversion of premix fuel.
Chief Fisherman of Sekondi, Nana Kofi Essoun, has accused Mr Sersah-Johnson of allegedly diverting premix fuel to a non-existent landing beach site in Sekondi.
According to the Sekondi chief fisherman, two fuel tankers offloaded a total of 27,000 litres of premix fuel at a fuel storage facility at the Bosumtwi-Sam Fishing Harbour on Thursday, October 6 and Saturday, October 8, 2016.
The fuel was allegedly meant for distribution to some fishermen operating at Akrufo Mpoano, near the Bosumtwi-Sam fishing Harbour.
Nana Kobina Asankomah
But the Sekondi Chief Fisherman insisted that that there were no artisanal fishermen or canoes operating at Akrufo Mpoano and claimed the diverted commodity would be sold later by some people.
Emmanuel Gordon, Secretary to the Sekondi Chief Fisherman, also noted that the distribution of premix fuel was guided by rules and regulations.
He noted that according to the rules, the National Premix Fuel Committee can only authorize allocation of the commodity to a landing beach committee with a recognized landing beach site that has more than 70 canoes using outboard motors.
However, speaking to DAILY GUIDE in an interview, Nana Kobina Asankomah, Chief Fisherman of Ekrufo Mpoano or British Sekondi, indicated that the allegation by the Sekondi Chief Fisherman was a calculated attempt to tarnish the reputation of the National Premix Committee chairman.
According to Nana Asankomah, Ekrufo Mpoano stretches from the boatyard at the Sekondi Fishing Habour to the habour’s main gate and that the artisanal fishermen operating there were more than 200.
“So it is not true that fishermen at Ekrufo Mpoano are not up to 70 to benefit from premix consignment. We are more than 200 and so the National Premix Committee Chairman did nothing wrong when he sent the fuel to Ekrufo Mpoano for distribution to our fishermen,” he added.
He explained that the Ekrufo Mpoano was under Essikado and that the Sekondi Chief fisherman does not have any authority to interfere in the affairs of fishermen at British Sekondi.
Meanwhile, Mr Sersah-Johnson, the National Premix Committee Chairman, admitted that those consignments of premix fuel were discharged at the Bosumtwi-Sam Fishing Harbour in Sekondi on the said dates.
He, however, indicated that the premix fuel was delivered to the fishermen at Akrufo Mpoano upon a request by a traditional leader.
He noted that the National Premix Committee has the mandate to deliver sufficient premix fuel to all fishermen in the country to undertake their fishing expedition without any problems.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi