Fisheries minister disappointed in Elmina Chiefs

Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Nanor Bilijoe, says he is disappointed with traditional leaders of Elmina for engaging contractors in a row over ongoing works for a fish processing project and a harbor.

According to the Minister, the behavior of some members of the traditional council who visited the construction site to stop work on the project was unspeakable and amounted to violation of the law.

Instead, the Minister is urging parties in the construction of the Elmina Fishing project to engage in a dialogue. Giving the status on the project so far, the Minister said: “We were supposed to send a delegation to sit down with the traditional leaders but the meeting could not come off because the date was not convenient so I wrote back to inform them to reschedule…’’

But the chiefs and elders argue the traditional council does not have enough land to give any more for the fish processing project. Besides, the land does not belong to the district assembly and therefore cannot be given out by the local authority. The youth of the area are also agitated that, the location of the project is affecting their fishing business.

President John Dramani Mahama cut the sod last month for work to begin. But members of the traditional council boycotted the event saying the government did not seek their authorization for the project site. The spokesperson of the Elmina Traditional Council, Nana Aduako, told JoyNews’ Bright Nana Amfoh that they had not received any information from the Fisheries Ministry.

In a telephone interview, Nana Aduako expressed anger at the comments from the Minister forcing him (the Minister) to withdraw portions of his comments.

He expressed the hope that parties from the traditional council and government sides would consult for an amicable solution