Ekumfi Arkra, Sept. 15, GNA - A trawling board deposited by a distressed fishing trawler at sea in Ekumfi Arkra has been depriving fishermen of their livelihood.

The fishermen who use dragnets cannot cast their nets because the board, which is partly covered by sand, damage the nets. Nana Buabeng, Regent of the town, appealed to the Ministry of Fisheries to help in removing the board to enable the fishermen to resume work, which was suspended about three months ago. He made the appeal when Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur, Mfantseman District Chief Executive, Mrs Matilda Bannerman-Mensah, the District Director of Education and Mr Adjei Asamoah Kusi, the Presiding Member of the District Assembly, visited the town on Tuesday to welcome fresh kindergarten and primary pupils to school under the government's "My First Day In School Programme"'.

Nana Buabeng said cost of living in the town had gone up as a result of the problem, adding that, "fishmongers travel to other communities to buy fish to sell" in the town. Mr Quainoo-Arthur gave the assurance that their concern would be sent to the appropriate quarters for redress.

He announced that the Ministry of Fisheries had introduced a scheme to sell fishing inputs to fishermen on credit and advised them to form cooperative societies to enable them to benefit from the programme. The DCE also advised the fishermen and fishmongers to take advantage of the alternative livelihood programme introduced by the Ministry to go into other income generating ventures during the lean season.