DSP Appenteng, taking participants through the prosecutorial cases at the Western Command
Friends of the Nation, in collaboration with the Fisheries Commission and the Marine, Ports and Railway Unit of the Ghana Police Service has organized prosecutorial review meetings to review IUU prosecutorial Cases at the Eastern (Tema) and Western (Takoradi) Commands. The meetings involved Fisheries officials, Police Prosecutors/Investigators, and officers of the Fisheries Enforcement Unit (F.E.U.).
Director, Marine, Ports and Railway, ACP Antwi Ababio contributing to the discussions
The objective of the meetings was to identify gaps in fisheries prosecution and make recommendations to enhance the prosecution of IUU fishing in Ghana.
Some challenges discussed included prosecutors, arresting officers and investigators not fully abreast with criminal, fisheries laws and procedures, inadequate prosecutorial skills, lack or inadequate evidence that often delayed and affected trial of offenders.
A prosecutor making a presentation
These meetings were organized under the Improving Fisheries Governance in Ghana and the wider sub-region Project (IFG project) which aims to strengthen government and industry commitment to improve fisheries governance in the key policy areas of enhanced transparency, law enforcement, collaborative management, and capacity of key stakeholders in Ghana and the West African region.