By Adnan Adams Mohammed
The future of the Mumford Fishing Harbour Landing Site hangs in the balance as prominent public figure Blessed Godsbrain Smart issues a passionate plea for immediate intervention, warning that the vital infrastructure project cannot be left to fail through “silence, neglect and inaction.”
In an official statement released by his office on June 23, 2026, Smart a broadcasting executive and incoming Member of Parliament for Gomoa West sounded the alarm over the rapid deterioration of the harbour, which was originally intended to serve as a strategic economic lifeline for the region.
A Vision Stalled by Decay
The modern fishing harbour was promised to the people of Mumford as a catalyst to transform the local economy, create sustainable jobs, and position the area as a major fisheries and blue economy hub in Gomoa West and the Central Region. However, recent observations at the site paint a starkly different picture.
According to Smart, the project is rapidly breaking down, with the infrastructure failing to serve its intended purpose.
“The breakwater is showing serious signs of deterioration, the harbour basin appears increasingly affected by siltation, and several ancillary facilities are visibly deteriorating,” Smart noted. “What was meant to be a beacon of economic transformation is gradually becoming a painful symbol of neglect.”
Political Silence and Economic Impact
The deterioration has been compounded by what Smart describes as a three-year wall of silence from local political leadership, leaving residents without a clear roadmap or answers. He emphasized that the crisis transcends political boundaries, directly threatening the livelihoods of fisherfolk, fishmongers, and youth looking for employment.
“This matter must not be reduced to partisan politics. It is bigger than party colours,” Smart insisted. “Every day that passes without action is another day that the hopes of the people are weakened. Every day that passes without a clear rehabilitation plan is another day that a valuable public asset continues to deteriorate.”
Vowing to use his public voice, networks, and influence to fight for the completion and full operationalization of the facility, Smart declared a zero-tolerance approach to the ongoing abandonment:
“I will not sit quietly while such an important project struggles. I will not look away while fisherfolk suffer. I will not ignore the women whose businesses depend on the harbour.”
A Call for Collective Action
To remedy the situation, Smart is calling for a comprehensive solution that brings together chiefs, local business owners, technical experts, and key state institutions including the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, the Ministry of Transport, and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.
The proposed roadmap forward includes:
● Technical Assessments: Conducting a full technical assessment and publishing a transparent report.
● Engineering Interventions: Executing urgent desilting interventions and repairing the failing breakwater.
● Facility Upgrades: Completing critical ancillary structures, landing infrastructure, and cold storage facilities.
● Community-Led Management: Designing a long-term management framework that places the people of Mumford at the center.
Closing his appeal with a rallying cry for community unity, Smart emphasized that the time for excuses has ended.
“The time for silence has passed. The time for leadership is now. The time for action is now,” Smart concluded. “Together, we can demand answers… and ensure that the Mumford Fishing Harbour finally delivers the economic transformation our people were promised.”
