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Ghanaian Seafarers of the Fisheries Association have been cautioned to adhere to all vessel safety precautions in order to avoid havocs when at sea.In response to a report published by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on January 4, 2023 with headline, ‘Ghana Fishing: Abuse, corruption and death on Chinese vessel’, Mr. Nii Armah Armarfio stated that vessel owners must ensure there are competent and professional radio officers from the Ghana Maritime Authority, who will take actions via effective communication should vessels encounter accidents at sea.
Emphasizing on safety being a shared responsibility, He goes on to list a good number of safety vessel equipment that should be noted like the life raft; which crew members can put on and dive into the sea to await a rescue team should emergencies occur.
In respect of communication, Mr. Richster Nii Amarfio mentioned that distress messages could be sent in urgent situations to seek for help.
Other safety gadgets he listed was the alarm system, notifying that it also plays a great role by alerting other vessels ashore to come to the aid of victim vessels that seem to sink or be in crisis. Highlighting that communication is key and should not be taken for granted.
At his final comments, he said that there were other approved first aid drugs that vessels ought to have in order to battle cases of sudden ailments.
However, crew members were advised to dock at a nearest port to attend to a patient on board if the situation seem worse.
The General Secretary of the National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG) therefore urged Ghanaian seafarers to not undermine the observation of safety precautions on fishing vessels.
