THE decision by the government to provide premix fuel for fishermen at subsidised rates is laudable because of the relief it brings to fishermen in the country.
Fishermen, naturally, play an important role in ensuring food security, but one of the challenges they encounter in their work is access to affordable fuel to enhance their output.
It is sad to note that there had been disturbing developments related to the supply and distribution of premix fuel to fishermen.
Sometimes we hear shocking reports of the diversion of premix fuel to fuel service stations to be sold to unsuspecting drivers as petrol.
Indeed, attempts to curb this practice with the provision of a peculiar coloration for premix fuel have come with their own challenges, as some people continue to circumvent the rules.
Indeed, there have been consistent reports of some underhand dealings by some people serving on premix landing beach committees and such reports have no doubt raised some concerns.
In the light of these challenges, one naturally expects that any auditing of the activities of premix landing beach committees will be treated with some urgency and seriousness.
Thus it is heart-warming to note that the government is committed to enforcing the directive on the auditing of all premix landing beach committees.
The move, understandably, is expected to ensure that there is transparency in the distribution of premix fuel and that fishing communities benefit from the sale of the commodity.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that this is a very important move that must be pursued in the most comprehensive manner in order to erase any misconception the local fisher folk may have about the operations of the committees.
It is important to note that already very useful findings have come out from the auditing of some of the landing beach committees, resulting in the issuance of new guidelines for the management of the committees.
As reported by the DAILY GRAPHIC last Wednesday, a directive has been issued for the takeover of the Tema, Prampram, Old Ningo and Chorkor landing beaches by the respective district assemblies.
Again, in the case of the James Town Beach, the acting Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr E. T. Mensah, is reported to have stated that his interaction with the fishermen in the area had confirmed intelligence reports that the formation of the landing beach committee had not been done in line with the government’s directive.
The government has demonstrated that it will stringently monitor the operations of such committees and rigorously pursue measures to ensure that they don’t become avenues for corruption.
Need we state that that is the spirit that must drive the operations of such very sensitive initiatives in order to disabuse the minds of Ghanaians that some of those committees are just created to provide “jobs for the boys” and enable party hangers-on to milk the system.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks that the government is on the right track and wish to encourage it to defy any overtures from whatever quarters that may seek to derail the exercise or stall it any further.
It is incumbent on the government to recognise that it has a social contract with Ghanaians to create better living conditions for all, for which reason the interest of the masses must in no way be sacrificed for a few who may have walked the path of greed and corruption.
We believe that when people placed in responsible positions are made to account for their stewardship in a transparent manner, they are more inclined to appreciate better the true value of service to their communities and to the nation.
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