Women fishers and members of the National Fish Traders and Processing Association (NAFTA) at Tongor-Dzameni in the South Dayi District of the Volta Region are against government’s decision to stop supply of pre-mix fuel to fishers, boat and canoe operators across fishing communities in the country.
The Dzameni women fishers led by the Volta Regional Chairperson of the Association, Eva Atsitsogbe who engaged newsmen on such circumstances after they returned from a 2-day fishing expedition organized by their male counterparts, lamented the challenges women fishers go through in the process of buying super petrol mixed with engine oil at an exorbitant cost.
They contend that it retards the progress of fishers in the region.
According to her, fishers in general previously bought pre-mix fuel at an amount of GHC270.00 per one ‘Kufuor gallon’ which is able to work for 3 to 4 days, but currently the same quantity costs GHC450.00 which is unable to take them through a day’s fishing.
Following these challenging issues of price hike on pre-mix fuel, they are compelled to use only super petrol mixed with engine oil for their outboard motors which do not help them make profit.
Madam Atsitsogbe announced the preparedness of women fishers at Dzameni to match their male counterparts boot for boot in the fishing industry, saying Tongor-Dzameni women fishers have decided to weather the storm by venturing into male a dominated field.
The women fishers’ leader noted that not only are they confronted with the price hike but officers from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture have abandoned their routine capacity building training for fishers. She urged for a second look to be taken at this to ensure that fishers are adequately equipped with the requisite knowledge in the fishing industry.
Madam Atsitsogbe revealed that women fishers are not only grappling with the situation of fuel price hike but are usually confronted with heavy weather storms on the lake as they are in deep waters fishing which calls for protective attire like life- jackets to support them.
Under her abled leadership, Madam Atsotsogbe revealed that 14 more women fishers have successfully been trained and are currently masters on their own in the fishing industry at Dzameni kpando, Krachi, Damnai and Abotoase, all fishing communities.
A woman fisher and member of NAFTA, Regina Semekor urged government to ensure that offers meant for fishers in the country are evenly distributed and should not be allowed to remain in the urban centres at the detriment of those in the rural fishing communities.
She also encouraged fellow women to join them in the fishing expedition noting that it’s lucrative as it enables them to support their homes by paying bills and school fees.
Michael Ladzagla, who is also a member of NAFTA but a male fisher at Dzameni, said their association is a law-abiding group and adheres to rules and regulation of fishing by using approved nets and therefore appealed for subsidized outboard motors to replace their spoilt ones.
The women fishers disclosed that day in day out customers troupe from Koforidua, Kumasi, Accra, Aflao and Sunyani their fish and that more needs to be done by equipping them adequately with fishing skills to enable them serve their customers satisfactorily.
