The Ghana National Fishermen's Council has accused DCEs, politicians and government functionaries of hijacking the Landing Beach Committees set up to manage pre-mix fuel. It alleged that some Members of Parliament and DCEs had formed their own committees and appointed their own secretaries and pump attendants, contrary to the guidelines setting up the committee. The council has therefore called on the government to critically examine the administration of the pre-mix fuel and find solutions to the issues surrounding it. At a general meeting on Tuesday to address issues affecting the fishing industry, Nii Abeo Kyerekuanda IV, Executive Secretary of the council said the interference in the distribution was posing a lot of problems to fishermen. He said though the council objected to the new guidelines on the setting up of the committees, the government did not listen to them. He deplored the manner in which the management of the pre-mix fuel was being handled. "After experiencing mismanagement of the sector by the previous government, the council thought the new administration would bring to bear its experience in the management of the product but regrettably things have not improved as the council expected. "It is said that some misguided politicians are unwarrantly interfering with the implementation of the guidelines," it said. On the importation and distribution of fishing inputs, he said currently there was no properly regulated and co-ordinated system of procurement. All fishing inputs are given to the council which distributes them equitably to the regions. He asked government to bring back that system be-• cause fishermen were being exploited by non-fishermen. Nii Kyerekuanda urged fishermen to abide by the council's "code of conduct for responsible fisheries" to enhance the artisanal fishing industry. He appealed to government to equip the Navy properly to enable them to safeguard the fishing industry. Source: Ghanaian Times