Premix politics: Fishermen vow to vote against NDC if...

Some Fishermen in the Central Region are cautioning President John Dramani Mahama to tread cautiously in his appointment of people to the National Premix Committee set to be inaugurated on Tuesday.

According to the Fishermen, the president risks destroying the fishing industry further if he fails to appoint incorruptible persons to manage the affairs of the industry.

At a news conference at Elmina on Monday, the fishermen asked the president to forget their votes and their families' if he appoints persons under whose leadership the fishing industry suffered corruption and the diversion of premix fuel.

Spokesperson of the Fishermen, Ibrahim Imurana, describes how the ousting of the old National Premix committee brought some relief to the fisher folks.

“Now, we are enjoying some peace at the landing beaches. Fishermen at Elmina, for instance are able to get their share of the premix fuel to do their businesses. When the old premix committee that was headed by Maanoma was in the charge, there was massive fraud that was going on. A lot of the fishermen were not getting some of the premix fuel because they were diverted by a cartel. We are happy that the president is finally going to inaugurate the National Premix Committee after the old one was dissolved but we wouldn’t forgive the president if he appoints Maanoma and other people who are a threat to our industry,” he said.

He adds, “We are in the business and we are the ones that are affected by such decisions. We know the president is a listening president and would not do anything to offend the fisher folks”.

However, in a reaction the NDC Constituency Chairman for Mfantsiman and spokesperson for Maanoma, the man the Fisherman despise, said Maamona seeks the interest of the Fishermen.

“I would like to use this opportunity to thank the president for appointing Maanoma as a member of National Premix Committee. The vision he has for fishermen in Ghana is very great.

"Manoma was able to establish a periodic interaction with Fishermen in Ghana. Before the 2012 elections Maanoma was able to lobby government through MASLOC and outboard motors were given to fishermen at Ghc4900 whilst in the open market it was Ghc8800. Due to this, when Fishermen friends of Nana Addo came to the coastal areas to campaign, they could not win the support of fishermen,” he said.

Meanwhile, there is an uneasy calm along the coastal belt of the Central Region as the Fishermen wait in high expectation for the announcement of persons who will constitute the National Premix Committee.