Some of the rescued fishermen
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, who is also a ranking member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior, yesterday commended volunteer fishermen for their role in rescuing their colleagues who found themselves in the grip of pirates.
While speaking during an interview on Wontumi TV, the MP explained that the first responders were the local fishermen who, after a call from the only man who was lucky to have his mobile phone not seized by the pirates, proceeded to rescue their colleagues. He added that they were dispatched by the chief fisherman.
It was during the return of the rescuers that they met the Navy, who took over at that point, the MP said.
“It would be unfair therefore to ignore the critical role of the fishermen under the direction of the chief fisherman in the rescue efforts. While the Navy deserve commendation too, it was the local fishermen who initiated the rescue first,” he explained.
Touching on the delayed appointment of a substantive Defence Minister, Rev. Fordjour said the anomaly has negative implications on the effective management of the country’s defence.
The oversight responsibility role of the Defence Minister in the implementation of policy, he said, is critical.
“The Defence Minister is responsible for the broad implementation of government’s policy,” he said, as he took swipe at what he described as “incompetent management of the defence sector.”
“We have competent soldiers who must work within the policy framework as spelt out by the Defence Minister,” he pointed out.
The MP was commended for his timely explanation about the Burkina terrorist attack which claimed the lives of eight Ghanaian tomato traders.
He took exception to what appears to be a non-empathy for the tomato traders’ predicament, isolating for instance a concert which was taking place at the Jubilee House.