Group roots for Allotey Jacobs as Deputy Fisheries Minister

A group calling itself Friends of Allotey Jacobs (FAJ) and largely sympathizers of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Central Region have appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to appoint Mr Bernard Allotey Jacobs as the Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.

The group revealed that Mr Jacobs remarkable contributions, achievements and experience in the sector which has earned him  "the educated fisherman" accolade would bring massive change to the sector.

Addressing the media in Cape Coast Saturday, Mr Ransford Amoasi, the Chairman for the Group said since Mr Allotey's resignation from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), he had shown good faith with the President's vision and must be emulated to attract more independent-minded people in NDC to join NPP.

The NDC recently expelled Mr Jacobs from the party for what it described as misconduct and anti-party behaviour after the Party's Disciplinary Committee made the recommendation and was adopted by the Functional Executive Committee unanimously. But prior to that, Mr Jacobs had announced he was no longer a member of the NDC saying he "dismissed” himself from the party long before their dismissal."

The Group further noted Mr Jacobs had declared support for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for putting Ghana on the right track which buttressed his confidence, objectivity and dedication to the national course.

Additionally, they informed that the move will end the practice of "winner takes" and called for apt legal reforms to end the polarization and high tension characterising the ‘Winner-Takes-All’ Politics threatening Ghana’s fledgeling democracy.

"Winner-takes-all and the politics of exclusion manifest at all levels of society, including intra-party level, where those deemed not to have contributed to the electioneering of a candidate or held different views, face marginalisation and exclusion."

“Winner-takes-all is divisive, and appropriate constitutional amendments ought to be made to deal with the challenges it poses to Ghana’s fledgeling democracy,” the Group said.

It further urged the government to inculcate vigorously in Ghanaians the values that underpinned good governance spanning - patriotism, honesty, respect, tolerance, consensus-building, integrity, and good citizenship to nationalism.

The Group rallied the support of all stakeholders to make the government's vision for the fisheries sector, promoting Aquaculture Development, Enhancing Sustainable Marine Fisheries Management and Fisheries Infrastructure Development a success.

They praised government for initiating pragmatic steps that will halt the declining marine fish stocks in our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) - closed season, reducing illegal fishing and Promoting Stakeholder Participation in Fisheries Management adding that the fisheries sector provided economic livelihood to a large number of the population, particularly those in the coastal and inland enclaves which are estimated to be about 10 per cent of the total population as envisaged by the Sustainable Development goal.

Abusuapanyin Kojo Ahinful, Central Regional Correspondent