TOR to compensate fishermen

Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - The Tema Oil Refinery would compensate fishermen whose outboard motors were damaged due to the wrong formula of premix fuel sold to them last year.

Mr John Dugan, Deputy Minister of Fisheries, who made this known at a meeting with canoe carvers and fishermen noted that since the reasons behind the creation of the Ministry included the protection of fisheries resources the Government would not allow any stakeholder to be cheated or ripped off.

He said the decision to pay the victims was taken when the Ministry of Fisheries held a meeting with Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) on issues relating to premix fuel distribution and management last week. The Minister said to enhance the lives of fishers and also make fishing a more lucrative business the Ministry had intervened in the issue to help the fishers, who were affected by the wrong premixed fuel. Although the compensation cannot cover the total cost of the loss, it could at least serve as a relief to them, he said. He said the Ministry was working out some refunds for the Companies that sold the wrong fuel and were in debt due to the refusal of the fishers to pay up. 17 Aug 05