The Ghana Inshore Fisheries Association (GIFA) in Elmina in the Central Region, have shared worries over government and the Fisheries Commission's neglect to the association's faced up challenges.

Mr. Charles Eghan, GIFA Chairman for Elmina in an interview with Sompa News Eric Annan, noted with grieve  that government has for years turn deaf ears to all its pleas and clarion calls.

According to him, leadership of the association has recently come under sheer struggle in acquiring even diesel for its members operating various fishing vessels in and around Elmina.

He established that the government in its undertaken measures to ease off challenges encountered by various fishery associations in the country, has decided to turn blind eye on the Ghana Inshore Fisheries Association.

The Elmina GIFA Chairman observed that unlikely to other fishery associations, government issues a mandatory annual license to inshore operators in the country before their vessels are allowed to go fish hunting in the beginning of every year.

He remarked that in as much as chief fishermen of the Canoe Council are often given the privilege to go for premix fuel for its members to later render account, fishermen at the inshore sector are always made to acquire diesel under cash-and-carry, which seems unfair to them.

Mr. Eghan added that due to this circumstance, fishermen at the inshore sector are often forced to go for loans to purchase diesel for their work, which in most instances result in them paying off their debtors with the little income they turn to make, after toiling day and night.

Furthermore, he bemoaned that government in its sustainable measures for fisherfolks, imports outboard motor for canoe operators, but forsakes inshore operators on that regard, which has impelled them to resort to car engine for their vessels instead.

He outlined to have no knowledge of the sin inshore operators in the country have committed against this current Ghanaian government to be treating them the way it is, having had series of its submitted applications unattended to.

Chairman Eghan again shared frustration on the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Hon. Mavis Hawa Koomson, over her reluctance towards GIFA's confronted challenges, having been previewed to all its tendered request.

The Elmina GIFA Chairman noted to have presumed that, as 2024 appears an election year for Ghana, the Fisheries Minister would've taken the advantage to reduce the prices of diesel for fisherfolks, to urge constituents of Elmina vote handsomely for her New Patriotic Party, but has since failed to that.

Some canoe owners equally complained to be having inadequate premix fuel for fishing, and at that, has made them to incur loses and hence can't boost of even a GH¢100 income to use for the repairs of their boat should any unseen circumstance arose, having worked since the beginning of this year.

Sompaonline.com/Eric Annan