Open defecation rife at new Jamestown Harbour

Fishermen at the Jamestown Fishing Harbour in Accra have bemoaned the constant pollution of the beachfront by plastics and organic waste.

The area surrounding the newly commissioned Jamestown Harbour is also characterised by open defecation.
Jamestown is one of the vibrant fishing communities in the Greater Accra Region with more than one thousand active artisanal fishermen.

Fishing activities here have been given a boost with the construction and the subsequent handing over of the Jamestown Fishing Harbour by President Akufo-Addo.

The fishermen said the project which has been designed to include components such as cold stores, selling area and dry dock for repairs of fishing trawlers has been a monumental achievement by the government in Accra.

While there, people trooped into the harbour to catch a glimpse of the transformation at the landing beach.
However, the fishermen have some peculiar challenges with the project, claiming that their canoes are constantly being wrecked by rough tides due to the inability of contractors to include a wind break in the project.

One of the migrant fishermen told Stanley Nii Blewu of 3news.com that “the harbour is really nice, but the absence of a wind break has become a bane for the fishermen. When the weather is windy, it smashes our canoes wrecking them in the process.”

Kwesi Nyansomago, a native of the central region has migrated to Jamestown to engage in fishing. He is now concerned about the state of affairs at the harbour.

He said, “we thought we could heave a sigh of relief with the construction of the harbour but that has not been the case. There should have been a wall to block the wind. Our canoes are now being damaged because there is none.”

Some fish processors who depend on catch from the fishermen lauded the initiative of providing Jamestown with a fishing harbour.

Deborah Naa Okailey Okine is one of such fish processors. She said, “the construction of the cold store will really be of help in times of bumper catch, and it will serve customers in times of scarcity.”

One would have expected that as a new fishing harbour, the environment should have been kept clean but prevailing situation there leaves much to be desired.

The area has become final resting place for plastic, polyester and organic pollutants with some contaminating marine resources.

Each day, waste generated and not properly managed from homes nearby also find their way into the sea while open defecation at the area docking area is also rife.

Some fishermen are worried by this development. Others believe that the immediate evacuation of pollutants at the area will protect existing fish species, prevent contamination of fish harvested while reducing disease outbreaks associated with the environment.

“There are garbage all over. The high tides could wash them into the ocean. People must be engaged to clean the harbour so that good sanitary conditions can be maintained,” a fisherfolk suggested.

But until then, navy officers stationed at the Jamestown harbour will have to be strict in enforcing compliance regarding good sanitary practices.

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