Leadership of some fishing associations under the National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG), has openly offered their support to the Minister-Designate for the sector, Mrs Hawa Koomson and assured her of their readiness to work with her if given the approval to lead the sector by Parliament.
Leaders and some Members of the Ghana National Canoe Fisherman Council, Ghana Inland Fisheries, National Association of Fisheries and Processors and the Ghana Inshore Fisheries Association, made the pledge, when they paid a courtesy call on the Minister-Designate at the Osu Castle.
Fishermen Council sends important message over Hawa Koomson
The call on the Minister-designate, according to the President of the Ghana Inshore Fisheries Association, Joseph Nii Armah Quaye, was to formally introduce the rank-and-file of the associations to the minister, and also update her on teething challenges facing the fishing sector.
Mr Quaye also charged the Minister-Designate to ensure she gives the necessary attention to aquaculture with much emphasis on fish farming and Mari culture, which they believe can address the unemployment rate among the youth and also yield financial dividends to the country’s purse.
On his part, the Public Relations Officer of the National Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council, Nana Joojo Solomon, also stressed on the need for the Minister-Designate to be open and create an enabling environment to accommodate views and opinions from stakeholders in the industry, when given the clearance by parliament to take office.
The Minister-designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture commended the leadership of the various fishing associations for their open support and determination to work with her, for the progress of the sector. She assured them of her readiness to ensure the fishing sector bounces back to it’s past glory. She said a fishing ministry under her leadership will not only ensure all areas under the sector are equipped and developed to the betterment of the industry, but will yield the desired results expected by stakeholders.
It is the expectation of the Member Associations that parliament will unanimously endorse the appointment of the Minister-Designate for the sector.