Pollution by factories in Ivory Coast threatens the livelihood of fishermen at Effasu in the Jomoro District of the Western Region. Fishermen in the area claim factories in neighboring La Cote d’Ivoire release chemical substances into the sea which completely changes the colour of the sea. Joy News’ Seth Kwame Boateng visited the area recently and reported that disaster looms if the problem is not checked. Mending fishing nets is a regular chore for fishermen, especially, after a bumper catch but for fishermen in Effasu, something other than a bumper harvest tears their net. They complain the polluted sea water destroys their nets. Residents blame their problems on chemical discharged into Ghana’s waters by some Ivorian factories close to Effasu. “I saw what looked like algae mixed with sawdust with a foul smell at the shores of the Effasu beach,” Seth reported. Kwabena Yeboah, one of the affected fishermen said they have lived with the problem for years. He and his colleagues claim they have made several appeals to the Jomoro District Assembly to address the situation but nothing has so far been done. They think the only way out is to use the media to appeal to Central government to act fast by consulting with authorities in Ivory Coast to stop the practice. Credit: Seth Kwame Boateng/Joy FM/Ghana