The activities of fishermen along the western coast of the country continue to threaten the safety and security of the Single Point Mooring (SPM), a marine equipment that pumps light crude oil to the Takoradi thermal plant at Aboadze.
For over five years now, the Volta River Authority (VRA) and other partners in the marine sector have warned fishermen to desist from fishing close to the SPM, but to no avail.
Presently, the VRA says, the Ghana Maritime Security Amendment Bill is before Parliament for review and if it is passed, it would deter fishermen and other vessels from operating within 500 metre radius from the SPM, the oil rig at Cape Three Points and any sensitive marine infrastructure.
“Anybody, fishermen or vessels caught to have operated within the 500 metre zone, would be arrested, prosecuted and sentenced for a minimum period of 15 years or fined. The law takes effect from December 31, this year.”
The co-ordinator of the SPM operations at the VRA, Mr Seth Akwetey, gave the warning at a community consultative meeting for fishermen from Western and Central Regions on the operations of the SPM here on Tuesday.
Mr John Chobbah, of the Public Relations Department of the VRA who illustrated his presentation with pictures said, “local fishermen are setting nets under the SPM security zone. Sometimes even some of them go on the SPM to cook while fishing in the night.”
He added: “They are not aware of the danger they bring onto themselves, the SPM and the VRA. If the facility catches fire, the thermal plant would go”.
Mr Chobbah explained that the SPM which was 4.5 kilometres away from the thermal plant at Aboadze is a volatile facility connected with pipes that feed the plant with the light crude oil.
He said that large vessels will berth near the SPM and pump the crude oil into the SPM for onward transmission to the plant through combustible tubes.
The 86,000 dead weight tonne (DWT) tankers he said, contain 450,000 barrels of oil and takes three days to discharge the product.
“The terminal operators of the SPM have complained that their divers have detected that propellers are sometimes damaged because of being entangled by the fishing nets,” ‘the PRO told the meeting.
The acting Director of Operations at the Takoradi thermal power station, Mr Jacob Brown Yawson, stressed the dependence of the thermal plant and the fishermen on marine domain for survival.
However, he stated that, the VRA and the fishing community needed to understand and cooperate to save the SPM.
For over five years now, the Volta River Authority (VRA) and other partners in the marine sector have warned fishermen to desist from fishing close to the SPM, but to no avail.
Presently, the VRA says, the Ghana Maritime Security Amendment Bill is before Parliament for review and if it is passed, it would deter fishermen and other vessels from operating within 500 metre radius from the SPM, the oil rig at Cape Three Points and any sensitive marine infrastructure.
“Anybody, fishermen or vessels caught to have operated within the 500 metre zone, would be arrested, prosecuted and sentenced for a minimum period of 15 years or fined. The law takes effect from December 31, this year.”
The co-ordinator of the SPM operations at the VRA, Mr Seth Akwetey, gave the warning at a community consultative meeting for fishermen from Western and Central Regions on the operations of the SPM here on Tuesday.
Mr John Chobbah, of the Public Relations Department of the VRA who illustrated his presentation with pictures said, “local fishermen are setting nets under the SPM security zone. Sometimes even some of them go on the SPM to cook while fishing in the night.”
He added: “They are not aware of the danger they bring onto themselves, the SPM and the VRA. If the facility catches fire, the thermal plant would go”.
Mr Chobbah explained that the SPM which was 4.5 kilometres away from the thermal plant at Aboadze is a volatile facility connected with pipes that feed the plant with the light crude oil.
He said that large vessels will berth near the SPM and pump the crude oil into the SPM for onward transmission to the plant through combustible tubes.
The 86,000 dead weight tonne (DWT) tankers he said, contain 450,000 barrels of oil and takes three days to discharge the product.
“The terminal operators of the SPM have complained that their divers have detected that propellers are sometimes damaged because of being entangled by the fishing nets,” ‘the PRO told the meeting.
The acting Director of Operations at the Takoradi thermal power station, Mr Jacob Brown Yawson, stressed the dependence of the thermal plant and the fishermen on marine domain for survival.
However, he stated that, the VRA and the fishing community needed to understand and cooperate to save the SPM.
