Many fishermen are still counting their losses following the devastation that has left them with no livelihoods or with huge cost for repairing their fishing equipment.

Most canoes have been destroyed beyond repairs, fishing nets have been buried in the soil with others carried away by the sea, and outboard motors not spared the wrath of the debilitation.

Most fisher folks have expressed fear that they may not be able to take advantage of the upcoming fishing season which commences soon and when that happens it will be a major blow to their economic survival.

But the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mrs. Elizabeth Afoley Quaye on assessment tour of the affected communities in the Central Region has allayed their fears and assured them that government will come to their aid in due course to make sure they are not left out of the fishing season.

According to the Minister, her visit though aimed at commiserating with them for their losses, it was also to assess the extent of damage to help inform decision making in extending assistance to them.  

She said the proposed construction of landing sites along the sea coasts by Government will be carried out in a number of the places along the coast, and this will to a large extent help to curb the devastating effects of higher tidal waves on lives and properties.

The Minister and her entourage visited Ankaful in Saltpond, Kormantse, Abandze, and Anomabo all in the Mfantseman Municipality; and Ogua in the Cape Coast Municipality.

At Anomabo, Nana Mbroba Dabo I, Paramount queen mother of Anomabo Traditional Area has commended the government for its decision to embrace the Fishing College. She however appealed to the government to use the college to educate the fishermen to help improve their business.

She has also called for insurance cover for the fishermen and their business against disasters as the tidal wave, adding that if that had been done the cost of damage would have been borne by the insurance companies. To her a lot needs to be done in sensitizing the fisher folks on insurance since to many of them insurance has to do with the usual health insurance.   
 

Meanwhile, one person was reported dead in Ogua, while two sustained injuries at Ankaful.