Mumford (C/R), Nov. 20, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor has said over 8,000 million dollars owed by the nation had been cancelled during his administration.

President Kufuor said apart from dept cancellation, the Dutch government alone had supported the nation with over 350 million dollars for water, road and other projects whilst Britain, china, India and others had been supporting in diverse ways due to the prudent economic measures the government adopted.

The President said this when he cut a sod for work to start on the construction of a fishing harbour at Mumford in the Gomoa West District. "Due to how well we are managing the economy every country is prepared to help Ghana", he said.

DHV consultants from Holland would execute the project which comprises building two break waters, a workshop, a cold store a market and a day care centre.

The sod cutting was the third to be performed by the President within 10 days for similar projects, at James Town in Accra and Elmina in the Central Region.

President Kufuor said the nation imported 200 million dollars worth of fish this year and that if the fishing industry was improved such an amount could be used for other things.

He explained that he detached fisheries from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to enable special attention to be paid to the industry. The President said his government projected constructing six harbours but the support it got could cater for 20 harbours and landing sites.

Mrs. Gladys Asmah, the Minister Fisheries, cautioned fishermen against fishing close to the oil rig at Cape Three Points in the Western Region.

She urged fishermen to report activities of pair trawlers to the authorities for action.

The Minister appealed to citizens of Mumford to help the contractors so they could finish the project early. Nana Ato Arthur, Central Region Minister, called on Ghanaians to ensure that the December 7 poll was conducted in a peaceful manner and urged them not to forsake the NPP government which had achieved a lot for the country.