Gov’t isn’t wicked – Prof Boateng

The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Prof Kwabena Frimpong Boateng has dismissed claims that the government is insensitive to the plight of fisher folks after it banned fishing for a while.

The closed fishing season will start from 7th August to 4th September 2018 and will affect all fleet.

Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, warned that fishermen who are caught at sea during the closed season will be handed hefty fines.

According to her, the government will ensure strict compliance with the one-month ban, adding that defaulters will be fined between $500,000 and $2 million.

In addition to the fine, the equipment of the offenders will also be confiscated by the government.

However, fisher folks across the country have resisted the move.

Anti-Human Trafficking NGO, Challenging Heights, warned that the ban will put pressure on the Volta Lake since the majority of affected fishermen will migrate there as an alternative until the closed season is over.

“…Banning fishing in the coastal regions of Ghana will…present fertile grounds for fishermen to be forced to send their children to the Lake Volta for alternative fishing activities in keeping with the history of the trafficking of children to the Lake Volta."

“This opportunity for mass trafficking of children will undoubtedly erode the gains we have made in reducing the incidents of child trafficking in fishing,” cautioned the President of Challenging Heights, James Kofi Annan on July 18.

Meanwhile, Prof Boateng called for calm, explaining that the ban was to enable the country to replenish its diminishing fish stock.

“Bear with us. We are not a wicked government. We are really using science and technology to help fishermen. Maybe we didn’t start the education early enough. But the thing is that it will be good for us. We don’t want to deplete our fish stock and then Ghanaians have to travel all the way to Gambia or Senegal before they can get the fish that they need.”

“I am pleading with the fishermen, we love you, we all have relatives who are involved in this trade, and just bear with us, two weeks to one month it will be over then we can all enjoy the fish,” he added.