PRESIDENT John Evans Atta Mills has advised fishermen in the Western Region to adhere to warnings about the dangers their operations could pose to oil rigs in the area.
He said by the middle of this year, the Floating Production and Offloading (FPSO) vessel would arrive in the country for it to be positioned off the coast of the Western Region for the commercial production of oil.
It is, therefore, important for operators in the maritime industry, including fishermen, to respect the rules to ensure that both the drilling and fishing, which are very important to the country’s economic development, co-existed without posing any danger to one or the other.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr Emmanuel K. Buah, at the inauguration of the Tank Farm of Cyrus Oil Services at New Takoradi on Thursday, the President said the role of the fishermen was very important in the country’s development but it was also important for them to respect the directive to stay away from various production and exploration facilities.
Reports indicate that some fishermen have been fishing and using naked fire to cook around the oil rigs.
“We should not endanger our precious lives as we are all needed alive to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country,” the President said.
He said before sailing in the direction of the rig, the fishermen should consider the social discomfort of their families and the huge loss of investment that the country would incur in the event of any disaster.
President Mills urged them to make safety their prime focus and appealed to the chiefs in those coastal communities and the chief fishermen to talk to their people.
He commended them for their contribution to the food needs of the country and urged them to help make the first production of oil successful by staying away from restricted areas.
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