Fisheries Ministry To The Rescue Of Lake Bosomtwe

From Sebastian R. Freiku, Abono
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MOFAD) has proposed a number of packages to the fisher folk of Abono, the gateway of the cluster of communities dotted around Lake Bosomtwe in the Bosomtwe district of Ashanti.

The Fisheries Ministry is set to providing fishing nets to the local fishermen as well as provides credit facilities to the women to boost their trade.

Ms. Sherry Ayitey, Minister of Fisheries who announced the package at Abono last week promised two tricycles to the community to help transport their catch to the capital.  She said besides the supply of aluminum bowls to women fisher folk to facilitate the carrying of their wares, seed money of GHc5, 000 would be provided to the fisher folk to support their activities.

The Minister said the Ministry would initiate the planting of trees along the banks of the lake to protect it from extinction. She said experts would be engaged to take samples of fish species from the lake for reproduction by which the fingerlings would be used to refill the lake and sustain its lifespan.

Ms. Ayitey said the move is to improve upon and sustain the fishing industry by embarking on growth of Catfish and Tilapia production. She said the Ministry would further introduce concrete tanks and ponds under aquaculture in the Lake District. The package is an obvious response to concerns of the constituents by Nana AgyemangOkodom, Akwamuhene of Abono on behalf of the communities.

Nana Okodom noted that the only natural Lake is drying up and dying a situation which is depriving the people their source of income and livelihood. He called for support to protect the Lake from drying up. The chief noted that the last time the fisher folk had financial assistance from the government was Rawlings regime in 1990.

The District Chief Executive, Madam Veronica AntwiAdjei, called for an improved Lake Transport and appealed to the government to provide a new boat to ferry passengers across the Lake. She also called for an improved road network to facilitate movement of people and goods particularly agricultural produce to the urban centres from the area.