Captaine Smart pays GH¢39,000 utility debt to restore power, water at Mumford landing beach

Captaine Blessed Godsbrain Smart, an aspiring National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Gomoa West, has paid GH¢39,000 in accumulated water and electricity bills owed by the Mumford Landing Beach.

The payment, comprising GH¢24,500 owed for water and GH¢14,500 for electricity, is expected to facilitate the restoration of water and power supply to the facility's cold store, which fishers depend on to produce ice for preserving their catch.

Captaine Smart made the payment during a community engagement at the Mumford Roman Catholic Primary School on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.

The intervention followed concerns raised by residents during the engagement about the prolonged disruption of utility services at the landing beach.

A fisherman who spoke at the meeting said the situation had adversely affected fishing activities because the cold store could no longer produce the ice needed to preserve fish caught at sea.

“We rely on the cold store for the production of ice blocks, which we carry to sea to preserve our catch,” he explained. “The lack of it has impacted negatively on our business,” the fisherman added.

Mumford is a major fishing community in the Gomoa West District of the Central Region, with fishing and related activities serving as an important source of livelihood for residents.

The engagement also revealed that community elders had previously approached authorities for assistance in settling the outstanding utility bills but had been unsuccessful.

“We visited the DCE and MP some time ago for assistance to pay off the debt, but that help never came,” one community elder said.

After hearing the concerns, Captaine Smart announced that he would settle the outstanding bills in full.

He expressed concern that a major fishing community such as Mumford had been left without reliable access to water and electricity at a facility that supports the livelihoods of local fishers.

According to him, reliable utility services are essential to sustaining fish processing activities and supporting economic activity within the community.

“I am settling the debt today to revive economic activity in the entire area,” he said.

Captaine Smart also stressed the importance of a reliable water supply to fish processing, warning that inadequate access to water could create environmental and public health concerns.

The intervention was welcomed by residents and fishers, who expressed appreciation for the support and pledged to back his efforts to address challenges affecting the community.