Jamestown fishermen, whose canoes were wrecked on Tuesday by intense rain, gusty winds, and high tides, have abandoned their damaged craft in an attempt to raise money to replace or repair the damaged ones.
A number of canoes along the sea defense wall constructed as part of the Jamestown Fishing Harbour project were destroyed by the deluge.
When they reached the spot, they saw that most of the canoeists had moved to the beach, but the fisherman whose boats had been damaged were nowhere to be seen.
But according to one fisherman, Nii Ayitey Addy, who spoke with Citi News, they were so shocked that they had to ask for money to fix their boats.
He said, “The absence of fishermen whose canoes were ravaged by the tidal waves is intense. Gripped by shock, they now scramble to secure funds for the costly repairs. The soaring prices with canoes fetching over 800 cedis only compound their plight, leaving them bereft of their primary means of sustenance.”
While some boats are being repaired, several have sustained irreversible damage. Ten canoes have been successfully mended by Jonathan Nortey, who costs 200 cedis each craft.
He repairs each sailboat using a mixture of fiberglass and sand to make it seaworthy and resistant to leaks in the future.
He narrated, “I’m employing a blend of fibreglass and sand. I mend each vessel to ensure its seaworthiness and resilience against future leaks. Every repair is executed swiftly to allow for thorough drying, shielding them from future water deterioration. I charge 200 cedis per canoe.”
To counter this persistent threat, a marine defense plan that extends from Osikan Beach to the newly built Jamestown Fishing Harbour is still desperately needed.
The fishermen are begging President Akufo-Addo to pay attention to their request that this infrastructure be put in place in order to put an end to their continuous problems.
“The construction of a robust sea defense from Osikan Beach to seamlessly integrate with the ongoing Jamestown fishing harbour project holds the key to resolving the issue. Until this infrastructure is in place, our woes will persist. We earnestly plead with President Akufo-Addo to heed our plea.”
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