National Premix Fuel Committee Inaugurated

The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hon. Emelia Arthur, on behalf of his Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana has inaugurated an eleven-member Board for National Premix Fuel Committee.

The National Premix Fuel Committee is established in accordance with the National Premix Fuel Committee Regulations, 2016 (L.I 2233), with the mandate to facilitate the procurement and distribution of premix fuel to the fishing communities in the Republic.

Speaking to the media on Thursday in Accra, Hon. Arthur said, the Committee will play a pivotal role in ensuring that premix fuel resources are equitably distributed and managed in accordance with the law, while supporting the livelihoods of artisanal fishers and fostering coastal community development.

According to her, Government remains committed to enforcing existing regulations that mandates every landing beach to have a dedicated Committee overseeing premix fuel distribution.

She emphasized that this system would be strictly adhered to, ensuring transparency and curbing unfair practices. ‘The Government is committed to ensuring accountability for the distribution of the proceeds of the margins from the sale of premix fuel in accordance with section 27 of L.I. 2233.

Regulation 27(1) mandates all Landing Beach Committees to distribute the proceeds of the margins from the sale of premix as follows:

53% to the fishing community

12% to the office of the Chief Fisherman or the Headman

18% to other members of the Committee

10% to the secretary and

7% to the Pump Attendant

The Hon Minister emphasized that percentage (53%) earmarked for the community must be used to support development projects/initiatives that benefit the entire community and urged the National Premix Fuel Committee to ensure the use of these funds for their intended purposes.

This she said underscores the Government’s commitment to leveraging community-based resources for sustainable development.

The Minister further urged the Committee to audit how the community funds (53%) have been utilized over the past years to ensure equity, accountability and transparency.

With respect to the state and conditions of the Landing Beaches, the Hon. Minister indicated that the Ministry will continue to leverage technology to automate and enforce a tracking regime for premix fuel distribution to ensure transparency and efficiency.

The Minister concluded by urging all stakeholders to ensure the selection and composition of the LBCs is in accordance with the law and that the right people are chosen to represent them at the local level to ensure efficient use of the margins accrued from the sale of premix fuel at the local level.

Premix fuel remains an essential commodity for the artisanal fishing sector, which supports the livelihoods of thousands of coastal and inland fishing communities.

The Ministry reaffirms its dedication to ensuring its effective distribution and availability to promote sustainable fisheries management and bolster the socio-economic well-being of fishing communities nationwide.

Below is the List of Members of the Board:

1.Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Defeamekpor
Chairperson, Ministers, Nominee