Fishermen at the Jamestown Fishing Harbour have threatened to protest if the harbour’s cold storage facility is not operational by December 31, 2026, citing mounting post-harvest losses and frustration over prolonged delays.
The fishermen say the facility’s continued inactivity has left them struggling to preserve surplus catches despite a bumper harvest, resulting in significant losses.
Speaking to Citi News, Jamestown Chief Fisherman Nii Armah Wulu said the cold storage facility had remained non-operational since the harbour was opened to the public.
Chief Fisherman argued that the cold storage facility at the harbour, which is not operational, is depriving fishermen of an essential means of storing surplus fish.
According to Nii Armah Wulu, some fishermen had resorted to drying excess fish along the streets to prevent it from going to waste, stressing that the practice was stopped following concerns raised by city authorities, which has left fishermen with limited options for preserving their catch.
Chief Fisherman Wulu stressed that repeated assurances from management that steps were being taken to make the facility operational had failed to address the fishermen’s concerns, revealing that the fishermen had consequently resolved to embark on a symbolic protest if the facility remained non-operational beyond the December 2026 deadline.
He stated, “Management continues to assure us that efforts are underway to operationalise the facility. However, frustrated by the prolonged delay, we have resolved to wear red bands in protest if the cold storage facility is not operational by the end of the year”.
The Fishermen at the Jamestown Fishing Harbour are urging the authorities and management responsible for the facility to expedite the processes to ensure the facility becomes functional before the end of 2026.
According to the fishermen, putting the cold store into operation would help them preserve surplus fish, reduce post-harvest losses and improve their ability to benefit from periods of high catches.
In related news, the seven missing fishermen aboard the missing fishing canoe Second Chance have been located within Togo’s territorial waters.
The development comes after a search and rescue operation was launched on Monday, October 19, following reports that the canoe and its crew had gone missing.
According to the Western Regional Minister, authorities received information about the missing fishermen late on Sunday, October 18, prompting the commencement of the search the following day.
Also, the Western Regional Marine Police Command had earlier announced that it was coordinating the search for the seven crew members after the canoe failed to return from a fishing expedition offshore Axim.
The rescue operation brought together the Ghana Navy, Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Fisheries Commission, coastal police stations and fishing communities.
Police said the canoe’s owner, Nana Kweku Atta, reported the disappearance at the Fishing Harbour Police Station in Sekondi on Sunday, October 18.
Mr Atta told investigators that Second Chance had left the Sekondi Fishing Harbour on Friday, October 9, for a fishing expedition offshore Axim but had not returned as expected.
Attempts to reach the crew by phone were reportedly unsuccessful, prompting concerns about their safety and whereabouts.
Preliminary information later suggested that the canoe might have developed engine trouble while at sea, potentially leaving it adrift and carrying it away from its intended fishing grounds towards Tema and the Volta coast.
Meanwhile, with the crew now reportedly located in Togolese waters, efforts are focused on coordinating their safe return to Ghana.
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