- Mahama prioritizes fishing sector challenges over politics.
- He promises to depoliticize resource distribution and support associations.
- Mahama pledges to establish a Women's Bank and provide fish finders.
- He aims to reduce beach contamination and promote sustainable fishing practices.
John Dramani Mahama, the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has pledged to prioritize the challenges facing the fishing sector over political affiliations.
He made this promise during a meeting with leaders of associations in the fishing industry at Tema Manhean, where he listened to their concerns and outlined his plans to address them.
Mahama condemned the current state of affairs, where partisan politics influences the allocation of resources, leading to the exclusion of legitimate associations and distribution decisions based on party membership rather than merit.
He assured the stakeholders that his administration would eschew politics from the fishing industry and address their concerns, including the rearrangement of Landing Beach Committees to ensure elections free from partisan politics.
The leaders elected through this process would be directly engaged, and fishing resources such as outboard motors and premix fuel would be distributed to associations rather than individuals, ensuring equal benefits for all.
Mahama also promised to establish a Women’s Bank to provide loan facilities to women associations in the fishing industry, promoting their businesses and improving their livelihoods.
He further assured the fishermen that they would be provided with fish finders to facilitate their work and improve their income, and that the Ghana Navy would be equipped with more vessels to patrol the waters and prevent illegal fishing.
Mahama expressed concern about beach contamination and proposed employing young individuals to ensure the absence of plastic waste along the shoreline, restoring the glory days of the fishing industry and improving the lives of fishing communities.
The President of the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association, Nana Kweigya, appealed to politicians to treat the association as non-partisan and praised Mahama’s dedication to the welfare of artisanal fishers and the association, which has significantly improved the lives of countless fishing populations.
A citation was presented to Mahama for his unwavering dedication to the welfare of artisanal fishers and the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana.
