The Annual Community Relations Landing Beach Sensitisation Exercise commenced in the six coastal districts of the Western Region with two Governmental Agencies including Fisheries Commission and Ghana Maritime Authority and the Ghana National Canoe and Fishermen Council collaborating with the Commission.
Categorized into three phases, the phase one of the five-day sensitisation exercise currently underway in the Western Region seeks to deepen community relations, improve social harmony and manage perceptions and expectations of Upstream Oil and Gas communities to facilitate cooperation between companies and communities to maintain a conducive environment for sustainable activities along the upstream oil and gas value chain.
The team engaged fisherfolks at Mangyae, Half Assini Ekpu and Ahobr3 No 2. landing beaches all in the Jomoro District as well as communities in Ellembelle and Nzema East Districts.
The Head of Community Relations at the Commission Ms. Sekyiwa Darko explained to the fisherfolks progress made on the petition submitted to the Commission on the alleged harassment of fisherfolks at sea and the way forward after the consultative meeting with the Ghana Navy on the matter.
She appealed to fisherfolks to avoid such practices in order to save their own lives and also protect offshore installations. She advised fisherfolks to respect the marine laws and not confront the Navy when they are being redirected out of the restricted zones.
Using Teaching and Learning materials and video documentary on spillages to aid fisherfolks to understand the risk associated with incursions, she demonstrated the dangers associated with fishing in and around the Advisory and Exclusive Zones.
The Secretary of the Western Region Chapter of the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council Mr. Mike Abakah – Edu and a representative from the Fisheries Commission Mr. Isaac Frimpong Arthur added their voices in advising fisherfolks to be each other’s keeper and caution one another to stay away from the restricted 500-meter radius during their fishing expeditions.
The Western Region Manager of the Petroleum Commission, Mr. Alfred Ayah said that the Commission is not asking fishermen not to fish in the sea but stay away from the Advisory and Exclusive Zones. “We are not asking you not to fish in the sea. We are just appealing to you to stay away from the restricted zones,”.
he said
Responding to a question by a fisherman at Ahobre #2 on IOCs rendering financial support for fishing activities, Ms. Darko threw more light on Tullow Ghana Limited’s Fishermen Anchor project which supports fishermen with cooperative support.
This year’s exercise saw the team hold media engagements in selected radio stations prior and after the engagements to drum home the need for fisherfolks to adhere to safety around the exclusive zones.
The first phase of the exercise will see the team engage fisherfolks at selected landing beaches in the six Coastal Districts in the Western Region namely Jomoro, Ellembelle, Nzema East, Ahanta West, Shama and Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly and will subsequently move to the Central Region to continue the phase 2 of the exercise.
Source: Petroleum Commission