Fishermen in Apam of the Central Region are experiencing severe shortage of premix fuel, a situation that has rendered most of them idle for several weeks.
The fishermen have expressed anger at the development and indicated that the situation is being caused by the diversion of premix fuel by the Premix Fuel Committee members whom they claimed always diverted half of every consignment that comes to them.
The development has created confusion among fishermen and committee members after they became certain that the massive diversion of premix fuel meant for fishermen were being diverted.
According to the fisher-folk, they have suffered the unfortunate artificial shortage which led to the collapse of businesses and affecting their livelihoods.
These fishermen, who poured out their frustrations, averred that they most at times have to wait for their consignment which sometimes never arrived, and they took it to mean the usual delays associated with the supply.
The fishermen said they could not cope with the situation anymore and are therefore calling on the Ministry of Fisheries to intervene.
They have also called on government to launch thorough investigations into the diversion of the premix fuel; a development they indicated could bring the developmental projects to a halt.
They also averred that the unfortunate situation which has become a money making venture for most people could undermine government’s efforts at making the lives of fisher-folk better.
One of the fishermen said in anger, “We are really having a chaotic time as a result of this premix shortage which we know is being caused due to diversion. It is an essential input in our work, but it’s always in short supply”.
He said, “Government should deal ruthlessly with all those smuggling the product for denying us of what is due us. We have planned of going to the MCE’s office to demonstrate. We are now spending extra money to buy other products to mix them for our machines.”
Meanwhile, this paper has gathered that due to the situation some fishermen have been resorting to the use of a combination of other petroleum productions to power their outboard motors, at a cost three times the amount they would have spent on premix fuel.
