Tema Manhean, Aug 10, GNA -- Elders of the Tema Traditional Council (TTC) on Friday averted a demonstration by fishmongers at the Tema fishing harbour against personnel of the Eastern Naval Command for allegedly stopping them from drying their fish behind the fence wall of the command premises.

Wearing red bands around their heads and wrists amidst singing, drumming and dancing, the women who initially were heading towards the Naval Command were prevented and directed to the palace. The Navy had erected a sign board with the inscription, "Military property keep off", meters away from the fence apparently to prevent encroachment on their land.

Naa Wolaye Korkor, queen mother of the fishmongers said they saw the sign board last Tuesday but they did not know it was directed at them but on Friday while drying their fish on the ground some Naval personnel came to sack them from the place saying the land belongs to the Military.

She indicated that this did not go down well with them and therefore a spontaneous demonstration started, explaining that they had been transacting their normal business over 50 years and wondered why the action. Nii Adjeteh Mattor, III, Chief Fisherman of Tema corroborated the queen mothers' assertion and said the land was given to them by their ancestors during their re-settlement at Tema Manhean over 55 years ago. He said the land in dispute falls within the acquisition area of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority which recognizes their operation there and expressed surprise at the action of the Navy. Nii Mattor said fishing is the main source of income of the indigenes of the Manhean community so any attempt to stop them would deprive them of their livelihood.

An elder of the traditional council, Nii Shippi Armah advised the fishmongers to exercise restraint while they discussed the issue amicably with Navy personnel.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Commander A Tarm Sackey, Commanding Officer of the Command stated that the space behind the fence wall belongs to the Navy which was allocated to the Military in the First Republic, saying documents on it were with the Tema Development Corporation. According to him, realizing that structures and business activities were gradually springing up on the land they earlier expressed their displeasure to the elders of the traditional council who agreed to relocate the fishmongers.

To prevent further encroachment on the land the warning signboard was mounted at the place "which was directed at those who had erected the unauthorized structures and not the fishmongers". He said, eventually the fishmongers would to be relocated.