The Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Kinsley Ato Cudjoe, says government’s decision to place a ban on fishing for the month of August is irreversible.
Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Elizabeth Naa Afoley Quaye at a press meeting last Friday announced government’s decision to enforce a one-month ban on all fishing activities in Ghana.
The decision which is effective August 7 to September 4, 2018, has not gone down well with some fisher folks.
Some fishermen are calling for the reversal of the decision because they were not given prior notice.
However, in an interview with Kaakyire Ofori Ayim on Atinka AM Drive, Kinsley Ato Cudjoe said although the concerns of the fisher folks have been received in good faith, the government cannot reverse the decision on the ban.
“Ivory Coast, Liberia, Guinea, and Mauritania have closed seasons for fishing and Ghanaians over there do not complain. Even China has four months closed seasons and they still survive,” he said.
Reacting to the issue on Atinka AM Drive, an executive member of the Ghana Canoe Fishers Council, Nana Joojo Solomon said the ban violates their human rights.
According to him, the Ministry could have found other alternatives to disseminate the information on the ban.
He reiterated that the Fisheries Ministry did not give them prior notice and rather sat in their offices in Accra to issue directives.
Ghana | atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu Boatemaa
