Elmina, Dec. 23, GNA - The Elmina landing beach committee, which was=

inaugurated some six months ago to sell premix fuel to fishermen from the=

area, made a profit of over GH¢60,000. At a ceremony to distribute the first consignment of fishing nets purchased by the committee to about 150 fishermen from the area, Nii Amas= ah Namoale, Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Fisheries commended the committee for the success chalked.

Eight senior citizens, who have retired from fishing, were also give= n wax prints. He asked the fishermen to report any fishing trawler that would be found in their territorial waters because they are not allowed to enter i= nto the in-shore exclusive zone of 30 meters deep and six kilometres away.

He said the Ministry would charge any defaulting trawler 50,000 US dollars in addition to seizing its operating license to serve as a deterrent. He assured the fishing community that the government had their welfa= re at heart and would continue to institute measures that would promote thei= r development. Mr Kwaku Nicole, Chairman of the Fisheries Commission said the Elmin= a landing beach committee members have been prudent and transparent and hav= e worked hard to make the profit, and urged them to consider constructing a=

bigger project in future.

Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, Central Regional Minister said the government w= as trying hard to put the economy back on track after the New Patriotic Part= y (NPP) government had shattered it and urged Ghanaians to exercise restrai= n. She praised the committee for a good work done and urged them to als= o target women in their next distribution.

Komfo Amoa, a boat owner, told the gathering that the committee deci= ded the proceeds accrued from the sale of premix be used to purchase fishing nets for some canoe owners and also honour senior citizens. He explained that all the over 600 fishermen in the area will benefi= t from the fishing net, which will be distributed in batches, adding that, the first batch was purchased at the cost of GH¢45,000.00 Mr Dauda Mohammed, Secretary to the committee, said the siphoning of=

premix fuel by tanker drivers became a source of worry to them and theref= ore the colouring of the commodity to blue by the government was commendable. He said the fishing community had decided to credit President John A= tta Mills with the highest name given to people of honour in the fishing community, "Farnyi Kweegya," to be added to his name. A stool painted in the national colours to signify his new name was given to Mrs Benyiwa-Doe to hand it over to the President. 23 Dec. 09