[ 2014-08-23 ]

Fishermen cry over water weeds.
Fishermen at Kpong and its environs in the Lower
manya krobo municipality of the Eastern region
have expressed worry about weeds that has taken
over the waters of the Volta lake making it
difficult to catch fish. According to them,
several appeals to the municipal assembly has
proved futile and are calling on the ministry for
fisheries to intervene on their behalf. The
aggrieved fishermen were not happy with earlier
promises made by the assembly which has yielded no
results.

"We find it difficult to get more catch due to the
weeds in the water and that is affecting our
income" they added.

Kwasi Azor who has been in the fishing business
for the past twenty years stated that the
situation has been worse for the past four years
compelling fishermen to go long distance before
they can get some catch. He said that has reduced
his daily sales more than fifty percent." Because
of the weeds, the fishes go and hide under them
since our canoes cannot go there" he emphasised.

Fishmongers and traders in the area are also
affected due to the low catch thereby forcing them
to other surrounding towns to buy fish which in
return increases their budget cost. They are
however appealing to government to help remove the
weeds from the waters before it gets out of
hand.They stated their business is at the verge of
collapse and that according to them will adversely
affect their living standards since they are the
bread winners of their families.

Meanwhile checks at the municipal assembly shows
that not much is done to tackle the issues raised
by the fishermen.

Source - Isaac Amoah-Asare

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