Vice President of the Canoe Owners Association at the Sekondi Landing Beach in the Western Region, Paa Solomon has called on government to increase the price of pre-mix fuel to be at par with regular fuel at the fuel stations. He believes this will ensure availability of the product to save the fishing industry.
For about two months now, fishers at the Sekondi Landing Beach say they have not received any supplies. This is adversely affecting their work. He was speaking at the third edition of the Connect News Dialogue Series at the Sekondi Landing Beach.
The Connect dialogue series brings together stakeholders to dialogue on pertinent issues to inform policy.
The Vice President of the Canoe Owners Association, Sekondi, Paa Solomon called on government to rather stop the subventions and make it available.
“Increase the price and make it available just like how fuel is available at the fuel stations.
“Remove the premix taxes on regular fuel and add it to the current prices. So that premix will be available at the fuel stations. This will clear off the middle men who end up making it expensive,“ he noted.
The price of premix, as fixed by the Energy Ministry is 10 Cedis 40 pesewas per gallon. However because of middle men, the cheapest on the market is 30 cedis per gallon. The fishermen complain that apart from the cost, it is also not easily accessible.
On his part, an Executive Member of the Canoe Fishermen Council, Dominic Dadzie insisted the major challenge to the supply of premix fuel is premix debt. According to him, this is all due to the non payment of government’s subsidies.
He lamented that in neighboring countries, like Cote D’Ivoire, premix fuel is not subsidized. It is sold on the market just like regular fuel. This ensures there is no hoarding.
“It is only in Ghana that premix is subsidized. Even in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire, premix is more expensive than regular fuel,” he stated.
He however disclosed that there is currently a premix crises meeting ongoing with the fisheries minister in Accra after which the intention is to meet the Finance Minister and the president on the issue. According to him, the sector minister is overwhelmed with the current happenings in the fisheries sector.
Mr. Dadzie however called for calm even as the sector minister engages the Presidency and Finance Ministry to resolve the issues.
By Ewurama Smith|ConnectFM|Onuaonline.com
