By Philip Antoh
The 2024 Best Fish Farmer awardee at the National Farmers’ Day celebration, Mr. Ebenezer Nyagble Dzikunu, has revealed a concerning delay in receiving his prestigious award nearly a year after the ceremony. Mr. Dzikunu disclosed that he is not alone in facing this issue, as five other award recipients are also yet to receive their awards from the government.
Speaking exclusively to The Independent, Mr. Dzikunu expressed his disappointment at the delay in receiving his prime award – a JAC 3-tonne double truck promised to him and his fellow awardees. Despite assurances from event organizers in December 2024 that the awards would be promptly delivered, Mr. Dzikunu stated that they only received an invitation from the Fishery Ministry on February 12, 2025, to collect their items.
Upon reaching the ministry, Mr. Dzikunu recounted how the vehicles, with their names inscribed, were presented to them. However, to their dismay, only Aboboya vehicles were given to the regional award winners, leaving the national awardees without their promised trucks. Despite a photo session where keys were symbolically handed over, the vehicles were not actually delivered to the awardees.
Mr. Dzikunu highlighted the lack of communication from the ministry since then, noting that attempts to address the issue with the sector minister have been unfruitful. He raised concerns over the minister’s questioning of the current administration bearing the burden of previous commitments, despite a recent visit to his farm in the Volta Region.
The affected best fish farmers, including Victoria Atsa – the National Best Fish Processor of the Year, Christopher Ackon – National Best Marine Fisherman, and three others who opted to remain anonymous, are left with only paper certificates as reminders of their achievements.
In response to these grievances, the Public Relations Officer at the Fishery Ministry, Ms. Karimatu Anas, stated that she was not aware of the complaints and would need to investigate with the Procurement Department before issuing a formal statement. The delayed awards have sparked frustration among the recipients, who seek resolution ahead of the upcoming National Farmers Awards.