Inhabitants of twelve fishing communities in two districts of the Eastern Region have threatened to attack workers of Check Sustainable Resources Development (CSRD) who are dislodging trees and stumps in the Volta Lake.
The communities are Sumuer, Odortorm, Petefour, Odomeabra, Nketepa, Nrahponya, Adakope, Troameleveme, Gonyokope, Agaradzi, Abuakwa and Mpaem in Fanteakwa and Kwahu East.
Addressing a cross-section of the media at a press conference in Narhponya, the Chairman of the Area Fishermen Association, Mr. Albert Narh, said despite the government’s efforts to prevent disasters on the Volta Lake, the exercise would rather be suicidal for the fishermen.
According to him, the trees and stumps in the lake serve as protection during strong winds as fishermen hold on to them for safety.
The fishermen further argued that the trees served as navigation markers for them, particularly at night and during the harmattan season, which helps them from getting lost on the lake, as well as serve as anchors for their nets.
The Fishermen Association Chairman reiterated that the trunks of the trees serve as habitats for the fishes, therefore, removing and uprooting the trees would largely affect their fishing activities.
They have, therefore, called on the government to consider, especially their communities, since the fishing activities were the only source of livelihood for residents of the areas.
‘The education of our children is highly based on the fishing activities, and the only work for the aged, hence anything that affects the fishing activities will have an adverse effect on us,’ he pleaded.
They have also petitioned the Ministry of Fisheries, Food and Agriculture, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and Fanteakwa District Assembly to intervene before the situation gets out of hand.
He continued that any attempt by the government and workers to remove the trees and stumps would lead to a bloodbath, since they (fishermen and communities) would attack the workers.
