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Minister defends brother's appointment on premix committee

There have been issues with the supply of premix fuel throughout the year, and many have attributed this to the appointment of the Minister's brother

There have been issues with the supply of premix fuel throughout the year, a situation scores of fishermen say is affecting their livelihood.

Reports from Accra-based Citi FM indicated that some Oil Marketing Companies (OMC’s) diverted 249 consignments of premix fuel meant for fisher-folk across the country, to be sold to industries, mostly within the Tema metropolis.

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And these issues have been attributed to the appointment of Joseph Botchwey as interim administrator of the Committee.

But in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM Tuesday, the Minister, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye rubbished the claim, saying “will you not appoint a competent brother of yours to hold a position in your office? Would you not? Because you hate your relations, even when they are competent enough to hold positions, you will not give it to them?”

“I have not put myself in any conflict of interest. Maybe you have to go back yourself, and find out who is the substantive administrator of the premix committee. His or her government has ended and a new era is in place. He or she is not at the premix secretariat, please!”

She said that she expected the NPA to effect the arrest of the perpetrators.

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“We have not had a tracking system so when they find people culpable, why are they not arrested? They should be arrested because we do not have a tracking system and the NPA is also a statutory institution – a state institution that works together with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, their duty is to do the monitoring and find out who are perpetrating what crime so they find these people out. All I expect is that these people will be prosecuted…As the Fisheries Minister, all I do is to ensure that the premix fuel gets to the Fishermen. If the NCA tells me that they have found some OMCs perpetrating this crime, I expect the NCA to take an action.”

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