Bawumia To Pilot Solar-Powered Outboard Motors To End Premix Fuel Problems | General News

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has announced a bold solution to end the age-old problems with premix fuel for fisher-folks.

Speaking at Saltpond in the Mfantseman constituency during his on-going campaign tour of the Central Region, Dr. Bawumia said, after many attempts to deal with the issue of premix fuel including setting up automated dispensing machines at various landing beaches and fishing communities which have not completely dealt with the issue, he has come up with a new solution by introducing solar-powered outboard motors before the end of this year.

He stressed the solar-powered outboard motors will permanently address this challenge. 

“When we came into office, we brought premix automation and in Mfantseman here and other places, we have premix automation machines. But when you look at the premix problems, we have not addressed all. We still have problems with the premix, so I have been thinking a lot and discussing how we are going to solve the problem permanently.”

“We need a permanent solution to this problem because every time we move, we don’t solve the problem permanently. So, I have finished some discussions and by God’s grace, I believe we have a permanent solution to this problem”, Dr. Bawumia said.

He continued; “I want us to move away from the dependence on premix fuel to solar power for the boats. Let’s go for solar power to power the boats. So, before the end of this year, we are going to pilot the solar power outboard motors.”

“With this, we will make the outboard motors available to the fishermen and they don’t need to buy premix anymore. Once the sun is shining, their batteries will be charging and they can go across.”

The piloting of the solar-powered outboard motors, Dr. Bawumia stated, will hopefully start next month.

Dr. Bawumia added the solar-powered outboard motors will ensure fishers no longer buy premix fuel to power their outboard motors.

“We will have meetings with the fishermen on this in the next few weeks and the pilot programme will take place next month and we will start a whole new regime for fisher-folks because there is too much ‘kululu’ (fraud) in the premix matter…We will take them out of the way and we will give the fisher-folk outboard motors powered by solar and then we will solve the problem.”

Dr. Bawumia’s announcement attracted wild cheers from the crowd which included members of the fishing community in Saltpond and its environs.