The Coastal Development Authority (CoDA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development has presented 300 outboard motors for sale to fishermen in the Central Region.

The subsidised outboard motors were handed over to the fishermen from the nine districts in the region.

The 300 outboard motors were part of a total of 1,300 delivered to the country out of a total of 5,000 outboard motors being procured for the sector.

Additional consignment of the outboard motors was expected to arrive in the country by the end of August for sale to the fishermen.

At a presentation ceremony at Cape Coast, the Chief Executive of CoDA, Jerry Ahmed Shiab, explained that the presentation of outboard motors was part of the government’s support to the fishermen to enhance their activities.

He stated that a committee with membership from all the fishing communities in the various districts had been constituted to ensure that every fisherman benefitted from the government’s intervention.

Mr. Shiab said that the government was offering the outboard motors with 15 horsepower which costs GHS14,500 is being offered at GHS5,100 representing a subsidy of 65%

The government, he said, was implementing programmes to uplift the standards of people in fishing communities in the coastal regions.

Mr. Shiab mentioned that 11 landing beaches were being constructed at some fishing communities.

He said CoDA would support the government’s development agenda.

Mr. Shiab said CoDA had established a credit scheme to give financial support to fishermen, traders, and commercial drivers.

The Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, commended CoDA for initiating projects to promote the development of people in coastal communities.

He said that the Akufo-Addo government in the last three-and-half years initiated social intervention as well as infrastructural projects to promote the nation’s transformation process, stressing that “The infrastructural projects so far have been phenomenal”.

The current political administration, he said, had worked to ensure an adequate supply of premix fuel for fishermen in the fishing communities.

Mr. Duncan said, “the government will not neglect efforts in providing support for fishermen as well as fishing communities.”

The Chief Fisherman of Gomoa Fetteh and Central Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Canoe and Fishermen Council, Nana Obrenu Dabum III, on behalf of the fishermen, expressed appreciation to the government for the support.

In a related development, the two Council of State members, Obrempong Appiah Nuamah, and Major General Richardson Baiden (Rtd) have presented bulbs to support street light projects in the Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies in the region.