NDC to reactivate landing beach committees – Dr.  Hoffman

By Evelyn ARTHUR, Tema

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is poised to re-empower redundant landing beach committees at various landing sites across the country, so they can take over the management and distribution of premix fuel if NDC is elected into office in the December 7, 2024 General Elections.

Dr. Bernardette Hoffman, Head of the Coastal and Inland Fishing Communities Project at John Dramani Mahama’s campaign secretariat, stated that the NDC plans to reinstate landing beach committees to fulfill their original responsibilities.

She made this known during an interview with B&FT while leading an outreach programme for the Coastal and Inland Fishing Communities Project team, which reached over 600 women at the Tema Fishing Harbour.

Dr. Hoffman explained that the primary purpose of establishing the landing beach committees was to manage the distribution of premix fuel and to use the proceeds from its sales to develop the communities in which they operate.

However, she noted that these committees have been rendered redundant by the current administration over the past eight years, with premix management now under the control of NPP officials.

She indicated the plan for John Dramani Mahama, when he comes into power in 2025, is to revive these landing beach committees and give power back to them so they control premix management.

“The landing beach committees are going to be re-empowered to ensure  they actually do what they were set up originally to do,” Dr. Hoffman noted.

She also used the opportunity to enlighten them on NDC policies for women and urged them to vote massively for John Dramani Mahama and his Members of Parliament in order to fulfil all these policies.

Lawrence Kwesi Ghartey, a member of the Coastal and Inland Fishing Communities Project, announced that the NDC has put measures in place to offer soft loans for fish processors and traders at the Tema Fishing Harbour when elected in the upcoming polls.

He said the interest-free loans, called the ‘Fish Mongers Credit Facility’, come with an easy process and are collateral-free in order for them to expand their business and repay the same amount in an extended grace period.

Mr. Ghartey noted that since most women in the informal sector could not meet requirements for accessing loans at the various financial institutions, this credit facility will be the NDC’s formal channel of giving them an opportunity to access loans and boost their businesses.

Francis Kwofi Adams, a member of the Coastal and Inland Fishing Communities Project, also sensitised the women on various operations in the fishing sector as well as John Dramani’s good intentions for them with regard to sustainable growth of the fishing sector.

He said if the NDC wins the 2024 elections, it will ensure the closed-season moratorium is reviewed to the benefit of canoe owners; frequent supply of premix; subsidised outboard motors; and constant cleaning of all coastal shores, among others.

Member of Parliament for Tema East Constituency, Isaac Ashai Odamten, said reviving the landing beach committees is good news as it ensures sanity in premix management at the landing beaches; hence, they should vote for John Dramani Mahama to bring it to light.

The  Coastal and Inland Fishing Communities Project outreach was well attended by members of the Canoe Council Women’s Wing and National Fish Processors and Traders Association, who also benefitted from a health-screening exercise organised by the team.

The team also distributed over six hundred basins to women from various coastal regions – Western, Central, Eastern, Volta and Greater Accra Regions.

Meanwhile, the team, on behalf of John Dramani Mahama, also donated a saloon car to the Canoe Council Women’s Wing.

The women expressed hope of John Mahama coming back and urged the NDC to ensure they honour their promises.

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