The National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research (NIFFR) has empowered 1000 people in fisheries agri-business in Kogi, Ogun and Lagos states.
In a statement, the agency said the beneficiaries cut across trainings organised between November and December last year.
The trainings were facilitated by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chairman, House of Reps. Committee on Finance, James Faleke and another House of Reps member, Prince Moshood Akiolu.
Speaking at the presentation of certificates to the trainees, the Chairman, Governing Board of NIFFR, Chief Mutiu Are, said the training was organised to mitigate the rate of unemployment among Nigerians.
“We note that the rate of unemployment among Nigerians could be drastically mitigated through Aquaculture Training and Empowerment, as identified in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“It has been observed that fisheries and other aquatic resources in various rivers, lakes and water bodies across the country have over time been drastically depleted, thus greatly impoverishing the local fisheries-based economies; and that numerous prevailing harmful fishing practices are inimical to both the public health and national economic and security interests of the country; the management of NIFFR organised a seven-day sensitisation/training empowerment programmes, a code of conduct training for responsible fisheries in various states as well as Re-Stocking of four major water bodies with fish fingerlings,” he said.
He called on the state governments to key into the programme to improve the standard of living of their people.
“The capacity of NIFFR to empower unemployed Nigerians with practical technical know-how to achieve financial independence through Aquaculture Value Chain businesses needs to be further boosted and supported by the Federal Government, as well as state governments and other development partners. This has a proven and verifiable capacity to produce for the nation, in the short to medium term, millions of sustainable jobs with high potential to transform the nation’s economy and also address a root cause of growing insecurity across the land,” Lawal-Are added.
The Acting Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of NIFFR, Dr Stella Ovie implored the beneficiaries to develop entrepreneurship skills and utilize their starter packs as seed to key into the numerous aquaculture Value Chain business opportunities.
This, she said, would make them start their own businesses as sources of sustainable income, personal employment and, ultimately, employment for other Nigerians.
Credit: The Nation
