Tema-Ghana, July 27, GNA – The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has said that none of its patrol boats collided with a canoe, leading to the death of two.
In a statement signed by Ms. Abena Serwaa Opoku Fosu, the Marketing and Public Affairs Manager a copy obtained by the Ghana News Agency at Tema, “There was never a collision between the Security Patrol Boat and any fishing boat whatsoever.”
The GPHA stated that the Port Control Station on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at about 00:30 hours received a distress call from MV. SEASPAN DUBAI for assistance to ward off several fishing boats that had surrounded their vessel.
It said the security patrol team, which comprised the Ghana Navy, Marine Police, and GPHA Security, timely responded, cautioned, and asked the fishing boats to leave.
It added that at about 01:18 hours, MT. MARINA ‘M’, which was also at the anchorage, also called the Port Control Station for assistance to ward off a suspicious-looking fishing boat with about nine occupants, adding that the team again responded by cautioning and directing the boat and its occupants to row out.
“On their way back, the Patrol Team chanced upon another set of fishermen who had cast their nets and were fishing within the terminal three basin, close to a container vessel. The nets were seized, and the men were cautioned and led out of the basin.”
The GPHA management states that all patrol activities were halted at 04:55 hours on Thursday, July 27, 2023, without any incident of collision whatsoever.
“A call from the Fishing Harbour Police Unit, announced the discovery of two dead bodies, which the fishermen had refused the police team to convey, with the assertion that the two died as a result of a collision with a GPHA tugboat, an outright untruth.”
It added that “even though the fishermen are aware of the dangers of fishing within the port basin and anchorage, some continue to carry out these illegal activities at the peril of their own lives and that of vessels and cargo,” the statement said.
It stated, that “despite these infractions, on occasions where we arrest fishermen and seize their nets, the Chief Fisherman and Elders are notified, and often the culprits are pardoned, and nets released without any fines.”
“We wish to emphasize that GPHA is a responsible organization involved in search and rescue missions and, as such, will not abandon victims of a collision, even if it involved our own craft.”
The Port Authority expressed regret at the unfortunate passing of the two and extended its sincere condolences to their families and colleagues.
It would be recalled that two fishermen from Tema Manhean were reported dead after an alleged encounter with the security of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) on the sea when they went for a fishing expedition on Thursday dawn.
Nii Odametey II, the Tema Awudum Chief Fisherman, explaining the issue to the GNA, said that as the Ga communities were in their festival period, they had an arrangement with the Ministry of Fisheries for such an expedition, adding that all the security agencies were aware as that was the normal practice since the closed season commenced four years ago.
Nii Odametey stated that the crew went fishing at about 00:00 hours on Thursday, adding, however, that at about 03:30 to 04:00 hours, they received a report that they were on duty when GPHA’s security allegedly beat them, leading to the deaths of the two.
Meanwhile, the Tema Metropolitan Security Council (MESEC) has constituted a Five-Member Committee mandated to investigate the circumstances leading to the deaths of two fishermen who went on an Homowo fishing expedition on July 27, 2023.
The Committee, made up of a representative of the Assembly, the National Investigation Bureau, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police, the Ghana National Fire Service, and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), has one week to present their report.
Mr. Yohane Amarh Ashitey, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive and Head of MESEC, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview after an emergency meeting that they had received conflicting reports on the issue and therefore needed to do an independent investigation.
