Women fishers and members of the National Fish Traders and Processing Association (NAFTA) at Dzemeni-Tongor in the South-Dayi District of the Volta region have protested against government's decision to stop the supply of pre-mix fuel to fishers and boat and canoe operators in the various fishing communities.
Addressing newsmen on the issue, the association’s chairperson, Eva Atsitsogbe, lamented over the challenges they go through as they are forced to buy Super Petrol mixed with Engine Oil at an exorbitant cost, a situation that continues to retard the progress of fishers in the region.
The Dzemeni women fishers have put themselves up as they weather the storm to be among the male dominated activity in the fishing industry. Not only the male counterparts according to the association go through challenges in the fishing industry as price hike hits them in fuel purchase, but the women fishers are not left out in such circumstances.
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According to them, they previously buy pre-mix fuel at the cost of GHC270.00 per a jerrycan (Kufuor gallon) that lasts for about 3 to 4 days. Unfortunately, the same quantity of fuel now costs an exorbitant amount of GHC450.00 which ironically cannot suffice a day's fishing.
Following this outrageous hike, they resorted to the use of Super Petrol mixed with Engine Oil for their outboard motors which does not help maximize profit but for its relative affordability’s sake.
Many of these women fishers started their fishing expedition at tender ages of between 7 and 12 years with their parents who had fishing canoes. As a result of their continued strides, eight of them currently owns 12 fishing boats creating jobs for some of the youth in the Dzemeni community.
Under the able leadership of the Volta regional chairperson of the National Fish Traders and Processing Association (NAFTA), Eva Atsitsogbe, 14 fishers have been successfully trained and are now in charge of their own trade in the fishing industry. The women fishers draw their markets from traders from Volta, Greater Accra, Eastern, Ashanti and the Northern regions of Ghana.
Madam Atsitsogbe who explained how challenging it could be as a woman fisher particularly when they are confronted with heavy storm at deep sea during fishing, appealed to the government to make pre-mix fuel available and at a sustainable price to ease the pressure on them.
She also appealed to the appropriate authorities to ensure that offers from the central government to fishers are evenly distributed nationwide without restricting them to those in the urban centres only.
Semekor Regina - NAFTA member
Semekor Regina, a member of NAFTA, also called on colleague women to join them in the fishing expedition saying it is lucrative as it enables them to support their homes such as paying of school fees and other utility bills. She further requested for more life jackets to encourage more women to be part of their association.
Michael Ladzagla - NAFTA member
Meanwhile, Michael Ladzagla, though a male fisher but a member of NAFTA, said they are law abiding fishers who adhere to rules and regulations of fishing by using approved nets and has therefore appealed for subsidised outboard motors to replace their out-used ones.
The saying that “what men can do, women can do and do it even better” has become a reality as Dzemeni-Tongor women fishers are showing the way that needed to be emulated.
By : Prince-Kelvin Setrick