Regional News of Friday, 30 April 2010

Source: GNA

Tema Canoe Basin needs dredging - Chief Fisherman

Tema, April 30, GNA - Nii Odametey, the Chief Fisherman of the Tema Canoe Beach, has called for the dredging of the canoe basin that serves as landing base for over 500 canoes.

He told the GNA in an interview that it was regrettable the canoe basin and the entire beach had not seen any major rehabilitation since its construction over 50 years ago.

Nii Odametey said lack of rehabilitation at the Canoe Beach had led to the break down of the wooden wharf where the fishermen mend their nets. Nii Odametey thanked President John Atta Mills for undertaking to repair the wharf when he visited the beach recently.

He said engineers from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, who the President directed to construct the wharf, visited the place last week to assess the situation. The Tema Canoe Owners Association, he said, was planning on initiatives such as charging some fees for landing at the beach to be used to maintain the beach.

On sanitation at the Tema Canoe Beach, the Chief Fisherman said it was gratifying that with the introduction of ZOIL, a subsidiary of Zoom Lion, the sanitation situation at the beach was beginning to improve. 30 April 10