Jamestown fishermen seek support over destruction of canoes by Tuesday's heavy downpour

Fishermen in Jamestown, whose canoes were destroyed by heavy rainfall, strong winds, and high tides on Tuesday, have abandoned their damaged vessels in search of financial assistance to either buy new ones or repair the old ones to get back to work.

The downpour led to the destruction of several canoes near the sea defense wall built as part of the Jamestown Fishing Harbour project.

Upon arriving at the site, it was evident that most of the canoes had been relocated to the shore, but the fishermen whose vessels had suffered damage were absent.

However, one fisherman, Nii Ayitey Addy, revealed to Citi News that they were in disbelief, prompting them to seek financial assistance to repair their canoes.

He said, “The absence of fishermen whose canoes were ravaged by the tidal waves is intense. Gripped by shock, they now scramble to secure funds for the costly repairs. The soaring prices with canoes fetching over 800 cedis only compound their plight, leaving them bereft of their primary means of sustenance.”

Many canoes have been irreparably damaged, while others are undergoing repairs. Jonathan Nortey, who has successfully fixed ten canoes, charges a fee of 200 cedis per vessel.

He employs a blend of fibreglass and sand to mend each vessel, ensuring its seaworthiness and resilience against future leaks.

He narrated, “I’m employing a blend of fibreglass and sand. I mend each vessel to ensure its seaworthiness and resilience against future leaks. Every repair is executed swiftly to allow for thorough drying, shielding them from future water deterioration. I charge 200 cedis per canoe.”

The urgent need for a sea defense strategy, spanning from Osikan Beach to the recently constructed Jamestown Fishing Harbour, remains imperative to address this ongoing challenge.

The fishermen are pleading with President Akufo-Addo to heed their call for the implementation of this infrastructure to resolve their ongoing woes.

“The construction of a robust sea defense from Osikan Beach to seamlessly integrate with the ongoing Jamestown fishing harbour project holds the key to resolving the issue. Until this infrastructure is in place, our woes will persist. We earnestly plead with President Akufo-Addo to heed our plea.”

—citinewsroom