THE Tema Municipal Assembly and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) have demolished all unauthorised structures at the Canoe Handling Beach within the Tema Fishing Harbour.
The exercise was in direct reaction to the recent fire outbreak at the beach which led to the loss of two lives and the destruction of canoes, outboard motors and nets valued at millions of cedis.
The exercise which was meant to rid the landing bay of squatters, traders and drug peddlers who have taken over the canoe beach, however, did not go down well with the fishermen, whose structures for safe guarding their gears were also affected by the exercise.
The fishermen raised this concern when the Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs visited the beach on Friday to sympathise with the victims and explore ways to forestall such future occurrences. According to the fishermen, although the exercise is necessary, the timing is wrong because the fishing season is just about to begin and the fishermen have nowhere to store their fishing gear.
Among others, the fishermen also repeated their call on GPHA to replace the mending platform with concrete since the wooden structure is worn out and had become very slippery.
They also called for the construction of a modern place of convenience at the beach to meet the needs of those who work there.
The Chief Executive of TMA, Mr S.E. Ashong Narh, assured the fishermen that permanent structures will be constructed at the beach to house their fishing gear.
He also advised all traders and fishmongers who have been affected by the exercise to apply for stalls in the abandoned market outside the harbour to carry out their trading activities.
On his part, the chairman of the committee, Mr Alex Kwaku Korankye, said the members will regularly interact with the fishermen to enable them to make inputs into policies that would enhance their work.
Source: GhanaWeb
