Odododiodoo MP, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has extolled President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for stopping the intended ban on fishing which was to have started from tomorrow, Tuesday, 7 August 2018.

According to him, the ban would have brought untold hardships on the fishing community, hence the suspension was commendable.

On 3 August 2018, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Elizabeth Afoley-Quaye, announced the postponement of the one-month ban initially scheduled to have taken effect from 7 August 2018.

The Minister said the ban has been deferred to August 2019 and that fishermen should be ready by that time.

The ban was intended to have helped increase the country’s fish stock but the Minister said upon further deliberation with stakeholders, it will not come into effect this year.

This followed consultations with fishermen and other stakeholders who expressed concerns about how the ban would have adversely affected their livelihood, especially during the Homowo Festival of the coastal Ga people.

The fishermen had complained that they were also given the notice of the ban only two months prior.

The Ghana Industrial Trawlers Association (GITA), had also argued that they had already observed a closed season in January and February 2018 and, thus, another closed season within the same year would have an adverse effect on their operations.

Speaking on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM Monday, 6 August, Mr Vanderpuye, who is also the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Local Government Committee, said: “All I can say is that I thank the government for listening to the concerns I raised. It is always good that you listen to the concerns of others before you implement a policy.

“If the Government had not listened to the concerns, some of us would have organised the fishermen to stampede the presidency to compel the government to suspend the ban.”

He added: “Fishermen jubilated over the suspension of the ban, and, so, I thank God the president listened to me when I raised the issues.”