The Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council has expressed its readiness to work with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and other state security agencies to intensify education on Covid-19 in all fishing communities.

Executive Member of the Association, Nii Djamiodja made this appeal during the Far Ban Bo fisheries discussion on Adom FM’s Burning Issues.

“The Association is calling for a strong collaboration with Ghana Health Service and the Police Service to enhance public education within coastal communities. We serve as officers for the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD). Each landing beach has a Chief Fisherman,  so once we get the needed support, we will work with them to ensure adherence to the protocols,” Nii stressed.

He also acknowledged receipt of nose masks and sanitisers from MoFAD following a promised made on an earlier discussion on the same programme.

“We have received 1500 nose masks and 200 sanitizers from the Ministry to Greater Accra branch of the Association. We are encouraging our members to use the nose mask and the sanitizers. The challenge is how to maintain social distancing in the canoes.  The seats in the canoe make it difficult to practise social distancing as it needs a certain number of people to make it balance;” Nii explained.

Vice President of the National Fish Processors and Traders Association (NAFPTA) Emelia Abaka Edu added to the need for intensified education on Covid19 as people are still disregarding the severity of the virus. She indicated her members have started in their own small way to educate the women especially within the Ahanta West Municipality, but they will need support from the local authorities to make this more impactful.

“We are hoping to see the District Assemblies and MoFAD outline their plans to us so we would work together to ensure compliance.  Most of the women in the Association have been trained to do the right thing. But we still have many women who are not members of the Association. We would therefore  encourage all the other women into fish processing to join hands to make things work smoothly;” Emilia pleaded.

The Programme Manager of Friends of the Nation Kwadwo Kyei Yamoah urged fishermen to use the nose mask appropriately and ensure that children who accompany their parents to fishing expedition wear the nose mask as well.

“Some fishers take their children to the beach and don’t give them the nose mask to wear. That shouldn’t be encouraged. We also need to teach them how to do the hand washing rightly because the danger is the disease keeps spreading. Now that the leadership of the fisheries is taking some steps, MoFAD must move to work with them so things can be done well;” he said.

A Public Health Nurse, Cynthia Appiah assured the Fisheries Associations Community Health Nurses are in all coastal areas to also help in the education.

The Far Ban Bo fisheries dialogue is supported by the European Union in partnership with Care International, Friends of the Nation and Oxfam.