Hawa Koomson
Members of the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC) have expressed confidence in the ability of the Minister-designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson, to deliver, if given the nod by Parliament.
The Council, in a release signed by its Public Relations Officer, Nana Jojo Solomon, indicated that having taken notice of the media uproar that greeted her vetting, especially with regard to her expression in the English language, they still believe she is the right person for the job.
“Following the vetting of the Minister-designate, traditional and social media have been awash with commentaries that have largely dwelt on the subject of ‘English Proficiency’. It is worth stating that the banal focus on English proficiency is misplaced and diverts attention from pertinent issues that arose from the exercise,” the release said.
The Council held that, as fishermen, their key concern and expectation bother on how the Minister-designate intends to tackle issues like Seiko, light fishing, the influx of foreign fishing vessels and the need for a foreign vessel to conduct scientific research among others.
“Thankfully, these and many more were addressed by her,” they stated in the release.
Confidence in President
The Council stated that it agrees with a section of Ghanaians who have agreed that the mastery of English language is not necessarily a sign of competence.
“The Hon Minister-designate will definitely be working with technocrats and industry players who equally have the progress of the sector at heart. Accordingly, we encourage the media to set the agenda for a liberal conversation on how promises elucidated in the manifesto of the current government will be executed vis-à-vis the content of the vetting exercise,” it stated.
“In conclusion, we believe that the President, His Excellency, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who chose the effective outgoing Minister, Hon. Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, has in his wisdom chosen the Minister-designate to fulfil his vision for the fishing industry, having assessed her competence on many fronts, including her performance as Member of Parliament for the Awutu Senya constituency and former Minister responsible for Special Development Initiatives,” the release added.
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