Hawa Koomson says she went to the fisherfolk to tell them to stop illegal fishing but was sacked
• Months ago it was reported that fishermen in Winneba rejected food from Mavis Hawa Koomson
• The minister says this is not an accurate account
• Mavis Hawa Koomson explained that it rather had something to do with her decision to stop illegal fishing activities in the community
The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson, has clarified the events that led to what appeared like a rejection of food items she had gone to present to some fisherfolk at Winneba, in the Central region.
Explaining what exactly happened on the Ekosiisen program on Asempa FM and monitored by GhanaWeb, the minister explained that during her tour of the region during the closed fishing season, she went to the community to have some discussion with them.
She added that it was through that that she informed them of her abhorrence to illegal fishing activities and the need for them to put a stop to it.
Mavis Hawa Koomson said that this did not go down well with the people, and they decided to reject her food.
She explained how she left the place and equally punished them for the act.
“Also, I am introducing a new measure such that any community where I hear that they are engaged in illegal activities, we’ll stop giving you premix fuel because if we don’t stop it, it will be problematic. Do you remember when I went on a tour to give out relief items, you heard that the Winneba folk rejected my food? No, it wasn’t that they rejected the food.
“When I got there to interact with them about the illegal activities, they did not understand why I would come and preach that to them and so they said that if that was the case, then they did not want my food and so I should take it away. And so, I did just that. Since they didn’t say it was the food they didn’t want, but rather their unhappiness with my decision against them and so I told them I would no longer give them premix fuel, and I also didn’t want to see them on the sea fishing,” she explained in the Twi language.
She said that it took the intervention of the leadership there for her to rescind her decision and get them fuel for their work.
“Eventually, their leaders came to beg and then I backed down and released the premix fuel to them,” she said.
The minister also stated that there will be another closed season soon.
