Anomabu (C/R), Jan. 6, GNA - Fishermen in the Central Region on Thursday expressed gratitude to President John Evans Atta Mills for exempting pre-mix fuel price from the recent fuel increase. They said President Mills is indeed 93Ofarinyi Kweegya" (a legendar= y fisherman), a name given to the President by the fishing community in the Region for his selfless interest in their activities.

Ebusuapanyin Kwodwo Yooyoo, spokesperson for the chief fishermen in th= e Region, said this at a press conference at Anomabu. Ebusuapanyin Yooyoo also expressed his appreciation to the Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Fisheries, Nii Amasah Namoale for the gesture, adding that the action was a clear indication that the government was truly concerned about their welfare.

He said the fishing community highly appreciated the gesture but appealed to the President to use his good office to ensure that the quantit= y of fuel supplied them were increased to enable them to carry out their fishing expeditions without any hindrances. Ebusuapanyin Yooyoo said the Anomabu Landing Beach Committee made a profit of GH¢200,000, part of which was used to construct a palace and al= so provide lightening at the beach.

He pledged that the Committee would ensure that profits accrued were used to develop the fishing communities. A cross-section of fishermen told the media that the use of powerful flash lights by some recalcitrant fishermen in the sea at night was hampering their operations and appealed to Government to adopt more stringent measures to curb the practice. They were, however, delighted that pair-trawling activities had been minimized. Later in an interview, Mr John Quayson, a boat owner, appealed to the security agencies, particularly the Ghana Navy to step up efforts to arrest fishermen who use flashlights in fishing. He pointed out that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture had given enough education on the dangerous effects of fishing with flashlights but some fishermen were just adamant and therefore they must be arrested and prosecuted to discourage the practice.

Mr Quayson cited Elmina, Apam and Manford as areas that the practice was rampant and called on the fishermen involved to put an immediate stop t= o it to save the fishing industry from collapse.