The Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South, Alfred Oko Vanderpuije has called on the Fisheries Minister, Mavis Hawa Koomson to institute a legitimate premix fuel committee to ensure proper distribution of the fuel to fisherfolk in the country.
This follows agitation by some fisherfolk at Jamestown and Chorkor in the Greater Accra Region that the supply of the commodity to them is limited.
Speaking to Citi News after an event to engage some fisherfolk in Chorkor, Mr. Vanderpuije said the sector ministry must collaborate with various assemblies within fishing communities for accurate distribution of the product.
“Today, the premix fuel is not going directly to the fisherfolk. They will tell you that some individuals will get it and then resell it to them, so what is the benefit of the premix fuel?”
“We have a minister for fisheries. She has a responsibility to make sure that we have a legitimate premix committee,” Mr Vanderpuije stressed.
Some fisherfolk have attributed the supply challenges to corruption.
To address some of these challenges, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development has initiated processes to digitize the supply of premix fuel to fishermen.
The government has in the past touted the idea of Canoe Identification Cards.
Premix fuel will soon be distributed only to fishermen who have registered their canoes and vessels with the Ministry of Aquaculture, and have been issued with Canoe Identification Cards.
The Ministry has supplied over 52 million litres of premix fuel between January and June 2021.