By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
More than one million fishermen would benefit from the insurance policy instituted by the Government to safeguard the safety of their canoes, outboard motors, nets and other fishing inputs.
Madam Sherry Ayittey, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, made this known at a meeting with some fishmongers drawn from the Ellembelle, Jomoro and Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region ,as part of her working visit to the Region.
She said 400,000 fishermen have been registered in the first phase which the government paid the initial premium and more than one million would be enrolled in the second phase.
She entreated them to convince their husbands to take advantage of the policy, to relieve them in the event of accidents on the sea.
She said the insurance policy was piloted from January -April in the Greater Accra, Western, Central, Eastern, Brong- Ahafo, Northern and Volta regions and debunked allegations that the policy was a ploy to tax fishermen.
Madam Ayittey indicated that Government would soon introduce scholarships for children of fishermen as pertains to cocoa farmers, saying: ‘Education is crucial to the progress of any community and the best investment any parent could provide his or her children.’
The Fisheries Minister presented 10 aluminum pans and three bundles of wire mesh to the fishmongers drawn Axim, Asanda, Apewosika, Mawuko, Bakanta, Ankobra and Abu, to aid them in fish processing.
She explained that fishmongers play a vital role in the fish processing chain, hence the support.
Madam Ayittey said Government had subsidised 40 horse power outboard motors for fishermen across the country from GH¢ 12, 000 to subsidised amount of GH¢ 6,000.
Meanwhile, Chief Fishmonger at Lower Axim, Kokohenmaa Abrema, commended the government for the gesture and asked for more support.
GNA
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