By Leo Nelson
Artisanal fishermen in the central region, who were victims of a recent pirate attack at sea, have been thrown a lifeline as the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) executed a presidential directive to provide them with their seized fishing gear.
Following the assault last week, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) Emelia Arthur, alongside the Member of Parliament (MP) for Awutu-Senya West, Gizella Akushika Tetteh-Agbotui, arrived in Senya Beraku to provide immediate industrial relief to the affected fishing community.
“The intervention – the donation of seven high-performance 40HP outboard motors – is a targeted effort to restore the livelihoods of the victims.
“This move is part of the broader ‘Reset’ led by President John Dramani Mahama, ensuring that coastal communities are not left vulnerable to the evolving security threats within the Gulf of Guinea,” Minister Arthur said.
The pirate attack, which took place in the dark of night, involved the theft of outboard motors and personal valuables, effectively grounding the local fleet and threatening the food security of thousands who depend on the Senya Beraku landing beach.
MoFAD noted that of the seven motors presented, six were allocated as direct replacements for those stolen, while the seventh was specifically designated for community-led rescue and emergency response.
This strategic allocation marks a shift in how the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development views local capacity.
By providing a dedicated rescue motor, the government is empowering the community to act as a first-response unit, bridging the gap between an incident at sea and the arrival of the Ghana Navy.
It is a recognition that maritime safety is a shared responsibility between the state and the people.
Minister Arthur emphasized that hardware alone cannot solve the security challenges of the Atlantic. She pointed to the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146), as the “definitive legislative tool for transforming the sector.”
According to the Minister, this Act has significantly strengthened the state’s ability to enforce safety standards and monitor vessel movements within Ghana’s territorial waters. She noted that under this new legal framework, the Ministry is rolling out a comprehensive digital registration and licensing system for all artisanal fishing canoes.
For the first time in Ghana’s history, these vessels will be integrated into a national database, allowing for more efficient management and, crucially, faster identification during security breaches.
The Minister further elaborated on the introduction of Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking and long-range communication systems for artisanal vessels.
By equipping these 40HP-powered vessels with modern tracking, the Ministry is creating a digital safety net as traditionally, small-scale fishers have lacked the technology to signal for help once they are beyond the sight of the shore.
“Government is implementing additional measures including improved registration and licensing of fishing canoes, the introduction of GPS tracking and long-range communication systems for artisanal vessels, and the rollout of insurance and pension schemes for fishers.”
This digitalization, paired with the insurance and pension schemes ensures that even in the event of an equipment loss or a physical injury at sea, the families of the fishermen are protected. It is a critical component of the “Industrialization” of the fisheries sector – moving from a precarious, informal trade to a structured, de-risked profession.
To complement the local technology, the government is enhancing its naval patrol capacity to address a growing concern about the presence of “black boats” – unmarked vessels used by criminal networks.
The Minister assured the community that the Ghana Navy is increasing its surveillance frequency to act as a deterrent and provide rapid response capabilities. This security initiative is designed to ensure that the 12-nautical-mile exclusion zone, reserved for artisanal fishers, remains a safe workspace.
The Member of Parliament for Awutu-Senya West, Gizella Akushika Tetteh-Agbotui, expressed the community’s profound gratitude for the President’s swift action.
She confirmed that since the attack, the administration has remained in constant contact with the victims, ensuring that the promise of support was not just political rhetoric but a realized industrial necessity.
As the outboard motors were handed over, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development reiterated that fisheries are vital to Ghana’s national food security and coastal stability. Ghana’s economic progress requires a resilient maritime sector where fishers can operate without the fear of assault or the loss of their tools.
With the resumption of fishing expeditions in Senya Beraku – supported by an immediate supply of premix fuel – the community is moving from a state of crisis back into a state of productivity.
The government’s decisive action serves as a reminder that the industrialization of Ghana is as much about protecting existing livelihoods as it is about creating new ones.