Tension Brews In Yeji Premix Fuel Landing Beach Over Irregular Supply Of Fuel To Fishers
The leadership of the National Inland Canoe Fisherman Council of Yeji Chapter has petitioned Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomsonfor the irregular supply of the premium fuel to the Yeji landing beach, the capital of the Pru East District of the Bono East Region which situation was adversely affecting fishing activities in the area.
Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu Greater 
The leadership of the National Inland Canoe Fisherman Council of Yeji Chapter has petitioned Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomsonfor the irregular supply of the premium fuel to the Yeji landing beach, the capital of the Pru East District of the Bono East Region which situation was adversely affecting fishing activities in the area.
In a petition to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) and its agency the, Fisheries Commission (FC) and copied to Soireenews.com, the leadership of the Council noted that since 2017, the supply of premix fuel has been a very big challenge to the fishing communities within and along the environs of the volta lake in the Pru East District.
The petition was copied to the Member of Parliament (MP), Pru East Constituency, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Pru East District Assembly, National Inland Canoe Fisherman Council in Accra and the Director of Finisheries in Pru East District.
According to them, there has always been a shortage of premix to fishermen and for boat owners.
They pointed out that this under supply has led to many businesses of these fisherfolks collapsed and has brought untold hardship to many families.
Currently, the leadership of the council stated that the situation has aggravated as the four (4) tankers per week supply has reduced to two (2) tankers in about three months. This, is woefully inadequate.
They asserted the distribution of the premix fuel has always been “the survival of the fittest” a clear violation of the intent of government to supply subsidized premix directly to the fishers without any intermediary or middleman on the side of government or the fishers.
"Today the premix is sold to middlemen who in turn sells it at exorbitant prices to the fishers in what is commonly called ‘kalebule’. For instance, a yellow gallon of premix fuel at the pump is sold at a subsidized price of GHS. 52.50.00 but due to the kalebule through the middlemen, it is being sold at GHS.270.00. for same quantity.
"Another major concern of the Inland Canoe and Fisherman Council is the manner in which the landing beaches in the district have been poorly constituted without due process.
They maintained that the formation of the land beaches is backed by a Legislative Instrument and passed by parliament of the republic of Ghana (L.I. 2233) of 2016. Section 22 (1) sub regulation (b) iv, is clear on the representative of the members that constitute the Landing Beach Committee.
"For purposes of clarity Section 22, (b) “in the case of an inland fishing community; (iv) a representative of the fishers;” the noted
Below is the petition
THE MINISTER IN CHARGE OF FISHERIES
ACCRA GHANA
DEAR MADAM,
PETITION AGAINST IRREGULAR SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION OF PREMIX FUEL AND UNDUE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHMENT OF LANDING BEACHES WITHIN THE DISTRICT
The national inland canoe fisherman council within the pru East district is petitioning your highly esteemed office to help solve the perpetual problem of the fisherfolks in the district.
Background:
The inland canoe and fisherman council is an institution made of fishermen, canoe and boat owners with a membership of over one thousand.
The membership elected a twelve (12) member committee to help manage the institution in terms of welfare, mediation and more importantly the formation and management of supply and distribution of premix to the fishers.
Since 2017, the supply of premix fuel has been a very big challenge to the fishing communities within and along the environs of the volta lake in the Pru East District.
There has always been a shortage of premix to fishermen and for boat owners. This under supply has led to many businesses of these fisherfolks collapsed and has brought untold hardship to many families. Currently, the situation has aggravated as the four (4) tankers per week supply has reduced to two (2) tankers in about three months. This, is woefully inadequate.
The distribution of the premix fuel has always been “the survival of the fittest” a clear violation of the intent of government to supply subsidized premix directly to the fishers without any intermediary or middleman on the side of government or the fishers.
Today the premix is sold to middlemen who in turn sells it at exorbitant prices to the fishers in what is commonly called ‘kalebule’. For instance, a yellow gallon of premix fuel at the pump is sold at a subsidized price of GHS. 52.50.00 but due to the kalebule through the middlemen, it is being sold at GHS.270.00. for same quantity.
Another major concern of the Inland Canoe and Fisherman Council is the manner in which the landing beaches in the district have been poorly constituted without due process.
The formation of the land beaches is backed by a Legislative Instrument and passed by parliament of the republic of Ghana (L.I. 2233) of 2016. Section 22 (1) sub regulation (b) iv, is clear on the representative of the members that constitute the Landing Beach Committee.
For purposes of clarity Section 22, (b) “in the case of an inland fishing community; (iv) a representative of the fishers;”
Moreover, the L.I.2233 section 22 regulation 1. States “the Committee shall in consultation with a District Assembly (emphasis) establish a Landing Beach Committee,” but as a matter of fact it rather District Assembly who claimed to have constituted Landing Beaches without the knowledge of the Inland canoe and Fisherman Council. The concern here is that the composition of these Landing Beaches is purely based on the individual interest of the leadership of the Assembly other than the larger interest of the fisherfolks.
SUGGESTIONS:
To help solve the perennial problem of fuel shortage and its ripple effect on the value chain we suggest that there should be regular supply of the premix fuel every week and not months.
We also appeal to your good office to help take off the middlemen from the distribution and sale of premix fuel in the district.
Another good suggestion from our outfit is that the ministry in charge of fisheries should as a matter of urgency halt the establishment of the current Landing Beaches Committee and use due process to reconstitute the Committee which can effectively manage the issues of premix in line with the core objective of the L.I. 2233 of 2016.
We pray on your authority to see the glaring errors enumerated above that hinders the fundamental principles and objectives of the government in the area of the livelihood of fishers.
We count on your usual corporation and quick responds.
