Fishermen in Kojokrom, located in the Essikado-Ketan Constituency, have expressed concerns about the government's annual fishing close season, arguing that the timing negatively impacts their livelihoods.
The fishermen voiced their frustrations during The Community Forum, hosted by Philip Nii Lartey.
Kofi, a local fisherman, explained on the programme that the June and July ban is poorly timed, leaving them struggling to catch fish during that period. "They announce the close season just when we believe the fish are starting to appear at the sea's surface," he said, adding "So when the season ends, there's no guarantee we'll catch any fish.
We go out to sea and often return with nothing. "Our leaders have attended several meetings, but nothing has changed, which is a concern for us." In the same forum, a construction worker shared his dissatisfaction with the state of development in the constituency, highlighting the deteriorating infrastructure and lack of opportunities for the youth. "Honestly, the Essikado-Ketan constituency has been left behind in every aspect.
In the past, we all worked at the Kojokrom market, helping unload goods from the trains when they arrived.
But now, both the market and the trains have collapsed, forcing me to learn a new trade. "Even when you try to sell something, people don't buy.
Our roads are in terrible condition.
We've voted for the same person for 20 years, yet when you want to travel, there aren't even decent roads to use."