Fisher folks and commercial
boats owners in Dzemeni, a fishing community along the Volta Lake in the South
Dayi district of the Volta region, have resolved to dock their boats and nets
in an indefinite strike action, Tuesday.
The action, according to
David Gbetey, Secretary of the Inland Fishermen and Boat Union at Dzemeni is to
protest the perennial shortage of pre mix fuel for their operations.
Mr. Gbetey said the
community use to receive two tankers of premix fuel every week, but alleged
that a directive from the District Chief Executive Kafui Bekui, one tanker have
been diverted to another station.
The situation, he said has brought
untoward hardship onto boat operators, who are running at a lost, as middlemen
popularly referred to as ‘magomago’ take advantage to sell the product to them
at exorbitant prices, compelling them to resort to the use of ‘super’, to power
the boats.
He also disclose that a
letter sent to the DCE to notify him about the union’s earlier decision to
embark on a demonstration was not responded to, hence the resolve to go on
strike.
The union has since been
running radio announcements to notify their counterparts in other island
communities about the intended strike.
If carried through, traders
who cross the lake from the Affram Plains to sell food stuff at the Gemeni
market will be stranded, as there will be no commercial boats to ferry them and
their commodities across the lake.
Recalcitrant boat operators
who defy the directive, according to Mr. Gbetey will be liable to a spot fine
of GHc 1000 and a three month ban.
The DCE, Kafui
Bekui has however, refuted the allegation saying he do not control the discharge of
premix fuel from the headquarters in Accra.
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