Elmina, Aug. 5, GNA - The Deputy Minister in charge of Fisheries, Nii Amasah Namoale, on Tuesday inaugurated eight beach landing committees to oversee the administration of premix in fishing communities in the Cape Coast, Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) and Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) areas of the Central Region at separate ceremonies.

The communities are Kafodzidzi, Abrobeano, British and Dutch Komenda, Ampenyi and Elmina all in the KEEA Municipality, and Anaafo and Moree in the Cape Coast Metropolis and AAK district respectively. The committees each comprise five members with the chief fishermen as chairmen, and are to ensure transparency and accountability in the distribution of the fuel.

Nii Nomoale, explained that the government had instituted measures to curb malpractices in the distribution of premix and tasked the communities to be vigilant and report the diversion of the fuel for sale to drivers, or when it is being smuggled, to the police for immediate action.

Among the measures, he said, is colouring the fuel blue to make for easier detection when mixed with other fuel products, and warned that the fuel was not for the committee members, but all fishermen and that his ministry would not tolerate any malpractices on their part. Mr Kwaku Nicol, National Premix Committee Chairman, reminded the members that government was subsidizing the product heavily and therefore its diversion would affect the economy and must be discouraged.

He urged the committee members to ensure the prompt payment for the fuel to the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and also make judicious use of the profit by using it to develop their areas. At Elmina, the Chief Fisherman, Nana Jojo Solomon appealed to the community to offer the committee members their full support and eschew negative attitudes that will breed disunity among them, to ensure that the profit from the sale of the fuel is well utilized. The various chief fishermen, all pledged to ensure that their committees would not incur loses or engage in any malpractices.