Caretaker Minister Orders Fisheries Commission Boss To Withdraw 2021 Fishing Licenses

A turf war over who is clothed with the authority to grant fishing licenses has broken between the Ministry of Fisheries and the Fisheries Commission with caretaker Minister, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, writing a strongly worded letter to the Executive Director of the Commission over its grant of licenses for the first quarter of 2021.
The 18th January letter from an angry Afoley Quaye orders Mr. Michael Arthur-Dadzie, the Fisheries Commission Director, to withdraw the licenses it has granted “with immediate effect.”
 
 
“It has come to my attention that Fishing Licences for the First Quarter of 2021 have been issued under your authorization. You are kindly directed to withdraw all the Fishing Licences affected with immediate effect and follow the appropriate rules and regulations provided in the Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625),” she wrote.
“Please be reminded that the role of the Fisheries Commission (FC) in granting approval to the application/renewal for Fishing Licenses is to make recommendations to the Minister who shall on the basis of the recommendations issue the License as provided in Sections 2(k) and 70 of Act 625. The responsibility of granting Fishing Licenses as provided in the Section of the Fisheries Act referred above is vested in the Minister and not FC (ie the Executive Director).”
The territorial Afoley Quaye also reminded the Executive Director of the Fisheries Commission that even though the government is still in transition, President Akufo-Addo has asked herself and other Ministers in the first term of the government to remain as “interim Ministers,” and that interim Ministers still retain their Ministerial authorities.
“In the light of these, you are directed to withdraw all the Fishing licences issued under your signature with immediate effect and follow due processes as provided in the Fisheries Act 2002 (Act 625). You are also to update us with actions taken in connection with the withdrawal of the licenses by Monday, 18th January 2021,” she warned.
The letter also said the Ministry was copying to the National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG) to signal all fishing companies that licenses granted to them by the Executive Director of the Fisheries Commission are revoked.