President Akufo-Addo commissions refurbished Sekondi Fishing Harbour
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on
Monday, 23rd April, 2018, commissioned the refurbished Sekondi Fishing
Harbour, at a ceremony in Sekondi, in the Western Region.
According to President Akufo-Addo, “the completion of this harbour is
critical, because the fishing industry is an important mainstay not
only of many of the residents of Sekondi, but also of some two million
Ghanaians across the country.”
The refurbishment of the Harbour, which was began by the Mahama
administration in July 2016, and now completed by the Akufo-Addo
government, the President said, “is evidence of the pledge I made in the
run-up to the 2016 general elections that I will not abandon any
project merely because it was started by a previous government.”
Whilst extending sincere appreciation to the Government and people of
Japan, who, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),
are responsible for the technical and financial support given to this
project, President Akufo-Addo underscored the importance of the fishing
industry to Ghanaians.
He stressed that the welfare of fisher folks in the country are
important to his government, “that is why, upon my assumption of office
in January last year, I appointed a full Minister to oversee the
activities of the sector, just as was done during the period of the 2nd
President of the 4th Republic, His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor.”
With the first rehabilitation of the Sekondi Harbour taking place in
2005 under the Kufuor-led NPP government, with its attendant boost to
the fishing industry, the President stated that this current
refurbishment, which cost some US$20 million, has equipped the harbour
with a lay-by wharf, access road to boats, a fish market shed, fuel
dumps, an administration block, a fresh water storage tank and a
state-of-the-art ice-making machine.
The ice-making machine has the capacity to produce some 30 tons of
ice per day to preserve the catch, as against the previous capacity of
15 tons of ice per day, with the President expecting a substantial rise
in the activities of our fisherfolk and traders in Sekondi, and in
surrounding communities, following the completion of the Harbour.
President Akufo-Addo, thus, charged Ghana Ports and Harbours
Authority (GPHA), responsible for supervision of the Harbour, to take
good care of it, in order to protect the US$20million investment for
current and future generations.
He also used the opportunity to reiterate the unwavering commitment
of Government to protect the territorial integrity of our country, in
the face of the activities of pirates in the Gulf of Guinea.
“We will not allow pirates or criminals to rob us of this hard-won
reputation, and create a sense of insecurity on our waters. To the
fourteen tuna fishing companies that are reported to have recently
halted operations due to the menace posed by the pirates, I urge them to
resume. They have the full assurance of Government of their protection
and safety, as they go about their day-to-day activities.
We will not
leave them to fight this menace alone. The full force of the state’s
security apparatus is being marshalled to curb the threats of piracy,”
the President said.
The President also revealed that plans are underway for the
construction of mini-fishing harbours and landing sites across the
coastal belt of the country.
Already, Government has signed an agreement with the Chinese
Government for the establishment of the Jamestown fishing port complex,
at a cost of US$50 million, with construction scheduled to commence this
year.
“Under the Fisheries Sector Infrastructural Development Programme,
the Ministry of Fisheries will commence the development of three landing
sites at Winneba, Mumford and Axim; rehabilitate three public
hatcheries at Vea, Sankana and Dormaa-Ahenkro; rehabilitate three fish
health laboratories at Takoradi, Koforidua and Kumasi; complete and
commission the Anomabo Fisheries College; and refurbish the Tema Boat
Yard to increase productivity of fisher folk,” he added.
As Co-chair of the Group of Advocates of Eminent Persons of the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, President Akufo-Addo
concluded by stressing that “even though we may have little or no
control over climate fluctuations or changes, one thing we can have
control over is our day-to-day activities.”
The President continued, “Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
(IUU) methods are depleting our fish stocks. Our beautiful coastal
wetlands are threatened by high volumes of plastic and metal waste that
choke breeding habitats for fish. This must not be allowed to continue.
Together, nananom, ladies and gentlemen, let us protect endangered
species, achieve food security, and protect our oceans for the future.”
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