Fishermen at Tema Canoe Beach are facing a severe shortage of pre-mix fuel, essential for powering their outboard motors, which has persisted for the past three weeks.
This ongoing fuel crisis has heightened fears that fish prices, already elevated, could increase further.
Nana Kweigyah, National President of the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana (CaFGOAG), described the situation as challenging for artisanal fishermen. “I have heard of a few landing beaches that have received more than one and many landing beaches that have received just one or none since fishing resumed after the closure. Supply in all cases is erratic and woefully inadequate,” he told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tema.
The shortage is particularly problematic as the period of active fishing is currently underway, and the lack of pre-mix fuel is significantly impacting fishermen, fish mongers, and fish smokers. Kweigyah urged the government to increase the supply of pre-mix fuel, which was budgeted at 110,700,000 litres for 2024.
Nii Anyetei Mensah, a fisherman, revealed the hardship faced by himself and other fishermen due to the fuel shortage. “We were at home for one month during the fishing closed season in July, and we were eager to resume fishing once the ban was lifted on August 1. Unfortunately, our hopes for a good catch to recover financially have been thwarted by the lack of fuel,” he said.
Mr. Adjeirteh Adjei, another fisherman, noted that the beach received its allocation of pre-mix fuel for the first week after the sea was reopened but has not received any since. “We plead with the government to provide us with the promised supply of pre-mix fuel. The shortage has led to middlemen selling fuel at inflated prices, raising questions about their sources,” he added.
The ongoing fuel shortage underscores the urgent need for reliable and sufficient fuel distribution to prevent further disruptions in the fishing industry and potential increases in fish prices.
