Ghana: Coconut Farmers, Fisherfolk Appeal to Gov't
Posted by Labels: Bonyire, Ellembelle, Jomoro, NzemaAhanta15 October 2009
THE economic well-being of most traders in the Ahanta West District, and the three Nzema Districts namely Jomoro, Ellembelle, Nzema East Municipality in the Western Region, has always depended on and revolved around coconut plantations, farming, and fishing for centuries.
However, the terrible outbreak and spread of the Cape St. Paul disease along this coastal area of Ghana rendered many hapless traders and farmers poor, as they watched while their economic fortunes were being dwindled by this blight.
The three districts, which are engaged in small scale farming, fishing and coconut cultivation, are unhappy with that negative development, which they believe had contributed significantly to the myriad of problems communities along this area are facing.
In separate interviews with the Western File, communities such as Basanta in the Ellembele District, Bonyire in the Jomoro District and Ajua in the Ahanta West District bemoaned the situation, saying they have had to complain bitterly about this problem numerous times, and have called on the government to expedite action in dealing with the visible challenges facing the agric sector in Ghana, particularly in the coastal communities, where peasant and community farming were common.
THE economic well-being of most traders in the Ahanta West District, and the three Nzema Districts namely Jomoro, Ellembelle, Nzema East Municipality in the Western Region, has always depended on and revolved around coconut plantations, farming, and fishing for centuries.
However, the terrible outbreak and spread of the Cape St. Paul disease along this coastal area of Ghana rendered many hapless traders and farmers poor, as they watched while their economic fortunes were being dwindled by this blight.
The three districts, which are engaged in small scale farming, fishing and coconut cultivation, are unhappy with that negative development, which they believe had contributed significantly to the myriad of problems communities along this area are facing.
In separate interviews with the Western File, communities such as Basanta in the Ellembele District, Bonyire in the Jomoro District and Ajua in the Ahanta West District bemoaned the situation, saying they have had to complain bitterly about this problem numerous times, and have called on the government to expedite action in dealing with the visible challenges facing the agric sector in Ghana, particularly in the coastal communities, where peasant and community farming were common.
Madam Esther Kaku, who is currently engaged in the palm oil business, told the file, "Many of the coconut farmers, including my husband, have lost their farms, and have therefore been thrown out of business.
Whilst Mr. Yeibo Yamekeh, 45, who has gravely been affected by the coconut disease situation in the Nzema area, also told the file, "I lost my livelihood because I lost my entire farm, and have had to manage with the situation for the past years. If you do not have anybody to support you, as a man, you cannot fold your arms and watch your family to suffer in poverty, you will have to continue to fight on."
Investigations conducted by the Western File revealed that the drilling of oil, which is expected to take place in these coastal areas, would further affect the few remaining coconut farms along the coast, because they would be destroyed by oil spillages.
Added to this devastation, the paper has observed, is the granting of the Adamus Mining Resources the license to mine large concessions in the Nzema areas.
The most heartbreaking of all, for these small businesses in these areas, the Western File gathered, was the discovery and actual drilling of oil, which they contended, had further added another dimension to the distressed situation.
Fishermen, they noted, had been warned to stay away from areas close to the oil rigs for security reasons. But, what is disturbing is the fact that most productive fishing areas are located close to the rigs.
"Asking small scale fishermen to avoid getting close contact with the rigs, is similar to pushing them out of business," one of the fisherfolk noted.
Fishmongers, among others, are increasingly coming home with empty pans, because the fish catch has drastically gone down.
How they would take care of their families is another mind-boggling question.
The Western Regional Minister, Paul Evans Aidoo, has meanwhile given assurance to farmers that the challenges confronting their activities would be addressed adequately by the government.
Speaking recently at Elubo, the Minister gave the assurance that his administration, and for that matter the government, would liaise with relevant stakeholders in the agric sector to address the pressing needs of businesses and the farmers in the region.
Whilst Mr. Yeibo Yamekeh, 45, who has gravely been affected by the coconut disease situation in the Nzema area, also told the file, "I lost my livelihood because I lost my entire farm, and have had to manage with the situation for the past years. If you do not have anybody to support you, as a man, you cannot fold your arms and watch your family to suffer in poverty, you will have to continue to fight on."
Investigations conducted by the Western File revealed that the drilling of oil, which is expected to take place in these coastal areas, would further affect the few remaining coconut farms along the coast, because they would be destroyed by oil spillages.
Added to this devastation, the paper has observed, is the granting of the Adamus Mining Resources the license to mine large concessions in the Nzema areas.
The most heartbreaking of all, for these small businesses in these areas, the Western File gathered, was the discovery and actual drilling of oil, which they contended, had further added another dimension to the distressed situation.
Fishermen, they noted, had been warned to stay away from areas close to the oil rigs for security reasons. But, what is disturbing is the fact that most productive fishing areas are located close to the rigs.
"Asking small scale fishermen to avoid getting close contact with the rigs, is similar to pushing them out of business," one of the fisherfolk noted.
Fishmongers, among others, are increasingly coming home with empty pans, because the fish catch has drastically gone down.
How they would take care of their families is another mind-boggling question.
The Western Regional Minister, Paul Evans Aidoo, has meanwhile given assurance to farmers that the challenges confronting their activities would be addressed adequately by the government.
Speaking recently at Elubo, the Minister gave the assurance that his administration, and for that matter the government, would liaise with relevant stakeholders in the agric sector to address the pressing needs of businesses and the farmers in the region.
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