Empowerment: Governor Obiano To Train 10, 000 Youths In 21 Local Government Areas In Anambra Begins On Fish

As part of Governor Willie Obiano’s plan to develop the State economy through agriculture, the Anambra State ministry of Agriculture and Rural development on Monday, begins training of youths on various segments of fish production. The scheme is targeted at  . . . training of about 10,000 youths across the 21 local government areas of the state, so said the Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano on Fishery , Hon Emeka Iloghalu during a stakeholders meeting in Awka.

The interested youths will be trained on various segment which include; fingerling production, table size, feed production, fish processing, packaging, pond construction, brood stock production among others.
In a meeting with the Anambra State fishery stakeholder’s forum in Awka, the State commissioner for Agriculture, Chief Nnamdi Meko said the idea of the training is to increase fish production in the state, create jobs for the youths and reduce poverty in the state.

The Special Assistant to Governor Obiano on Fishery, Hon. Emeka Iloghalu said the stakeholders have been able to segment the fishery value chain in the state up to 14 segments and lauded the governor for his support.
“Witten his first 100 days in office, the governor has been able to achieve this fishery platform in the state. The governor is committed in instituting fish production project in all the communities in the state and make them self reliant in fish production” he said, adding that the idea is to make Anambra state, the highest producer of fingerlings in West Africa.

Continuing, the SA acknowledged that “the fishery stakeholder’s forum is a veritable structure that will help the state to achieve many things, being the first of its kind in Nigeria. If for instance, we need a 100kg of table fish, we need fingerling to grow in order to produce them and we also need feeds to produce them and that is the value chain...” he snapped.
Chief Nnamdi Meko, however  regretted that large chunk of fish that is being consumed in Anambra State comes from Norway, Chad and other parts of Nigeria, stressing that Gov. Willie Obiano led government has a target of achieving total dependence on fish production even as  he urged youths to queue into agricultural programme.

“We intend to grow fish here for our consumption. Our target is to be the highest producer of fingerlings and table fish in West Africa and that is why we want to train youths on fish production technology” he said.
During the meeting, a fish stakeholder in the state, Mr. Solomon Arachie observed that fishery can only be developed in Anambra state through meticulous production of feed, brood stock, fingerling and table size as well as processing, marketing, finance and investment, equipment and fabrication, packaging, pond construction, fishery logistics, fish health and other segments.

He noted that increase in fingerling production units in all fish production communities in the state is an indispensable strategy to achieve the vision of making Anambra State, the largest producer of high value fingerlings in West Africa.

7:34 AM