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Obasanjo rallies support for fish farmers on sustainable price

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Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Tuesday said that the rise in cost of diseles as well as constant increase in prices of fish feeds will eventually run Nigerian fish farmers out of business except they come together to agree on sustainable prices that could be adopted to keep them in business.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who is also into fish farming disclosed that the farmers can longer be producing at the mercy of the buyers who would come around to buy the fish for whatever amount that suited them without taking into account the effect of the current economic effect on the production of such fishes.

The former President who was speaking at the congress of the
South-West Fish Farmers Price Sustainability Group held inside the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, (OOPL) Abeokuta, disclosed that now is the time for the fish farmers to agree on minimum price they intended selling their fish per killo henceforth.

He said with current price of diseles at 800 per litre, production of a kilogram of fish is N1,400 and that to make very marginal profit, the farmers can’t sell less than N1,500 as anything different is outright loss.

Obasanjo said ” we are practically here today to ensure our sustainability in the fishing business and that we have to do by selling at profitable price. If we don’t come together as an association, nationally, we will sink individually. If we come together, we will swim and survive together.

“And while we are working on coming together, I thought that the situation has arose whereby we have to do something urgently.

“The price of diesel has gone sky high because the management of this country is not what it should to be. And it is as simple as that. Then, what will happen is that, particularly those of us who have to use a bit of diesel in producing fish, we will completely go bankrupt, and when that happens, Nigerians will still have to eat fish.

“Fish production will be out of reach and then, people will be producing fish outside Nigeria and be dumping it here. And you will go jobless, poor and indigent. So, what do we have to do? To come together…we want to sustain fish production and we must be able to take care of those who are going to eat and those of us who are producing”.

The President of South-West Fish Farmers Price Sustainability Group, Mr Amo Tunbosun Amo disclosed that the country currently consumes around 3.6 million metric tonnes of fish annually but only produce 1.12 million tonnes leaving a balance of 2.6 millions tonnes to be imported.

Mr Amo Tunbosun Amo explained that one of the major challenges confronting the fish farmers is the continued increase in the prices of inputs in the production of fish and majorly the feed and the refusal of the buyers to buy the fish at commensurate price.

He said “this is the essence of this gathering, we find out that we have to take our destiny in our hands, we can’t continue to produce and be at the mercy of the buyers, we felt we need to come around and do something for ourselves. We are starting with Southwest and in a matter of time it will be all over the country’.

Amo disclosed that one other challenge the federal government should help tackle is the dredging of various water ways that is making many fish farmers to lose millions of their investment to flood saying that “for instance the Ikangba/Agoro fish farmers via Ijebu Ode recently lost over N500m investment, same thing happened at Eriwe too last year leading to loss of N600m. The federal government should help to dredge Eriwe waterways as well as Yemule river to combat this annual terrible losses”.

Steve Okeleji, the convener of the congress said the fish farmers have decided to come together to rescue the industry.

Okeleji said “we have to come together to see how we can rescue our industry. It’s now very obvious to us that if we don’t do something fast, the aquaculture industry in Nigeria will be submerged.

“If everything were to be right with our economy, this congress wouldn’t have been necessary.

“So, the farmers must be heard. We also virtually key player in the industry. In fact, we play important role across the value chain of the industry. But the major challenge we have over time is that we are not able to speak with one voice.

“We are going to come out with recommendations after our meeting, and we are going to use the goodwill of our father, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who also has a huge investment in the sector, for the government for them to help us”.

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Lagos-Calabar coastal project: Landmark commences refunds to customers

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The management of Landmark Resort Beach said it has commenced the refund process for customers affected by the recent demolition of portions of its properties by the Federal Government.

Landmark Africa, the parent company of Landmark Resort, made this known on Friday in a post on its X handle.

The firm acknowledged the patience of their customers, advising that completion of the refund process may be delayed due to the volume of requests.

t said: “Dear Landmark Citizens, we would like to assure you all that we have started issuing refunds to those who requested a refund of their money on the Landmark Citizen App.

“Please be patient with us, due to the volume of requests, this process will take some time. Be rest assured that all refund requests will be processed. Thank you all for your support and patience.

A portion of Landmark Beach on Victoria Island, Lagos, was recently demolished to accommodate the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway.

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NiMet forecasts 3-day sunny, cloudy atmosphere conditions

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The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudiness and sunshine from Friday to Sunday across the nation.

NiMet weather outlook released on Thursday in Abuja forecast sunny skies in hazy atmosphere on Friday over the northern region with exception of Taraba state where pockets of clouds could be visible during the forecast period.

According to the agency, sunny atmosphere patches of clouds are anticipated over the North Central region during the forecast period.

“The Cloudy atmosphere is expected over the southern region with prospects of morning thunderstorms over parts of Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.

The agency said later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are expected over parts of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Abia and Imo states.

NiMet predicted sunny skies in a hazy atmosphere on Saturday over the northern region with prospects of afternoon and evening thunderstorms over parts of Kaduna state.

It anticipated sunny skies with patches of clouds over the North Central region during the morning period.

“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are expected over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kogi and Plateau states.

“Cloudy atmosphere with intervals of sunshine is expected over the southern region with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers states in the morning hours.

“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are expected over the region,” it said.

According to NiMet, sunny skies in hazy atmosphere are expected over the northern region during the forecast period on Sunday.

The agency predicted sunny atmosphere with patches of clouds over the North Central region during the morning period.

NiMet forecast isolated thunderstorms over parts of Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory later in the day.

NiMet predicted Cloudy atmosphere over the southern region with prospects of morning thunderstorms over parts of Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

It anticipated isolated thunderstorms over parts of Edo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Imo, Ekiti, Abia, Anambra, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Lagos states later in the day.

“Strong winds may precede rains in the areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur, the public should take adequate precaution.

“Airline operators are advised to get updated weather reports and forecasts from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.

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Nigeria accedes to Afreximbank’s Fund for Export Devt agreement

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Nigeria has become the latest signatory to the Establishment Agreement of the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), the development impact-oriented subsidiary of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).

This is contained in a statement signed by Vincent Musumba, Manager, Media Relations, Afreximbank, in Abuja on Friday.

Musumba said Nigeria joined the ranks of countries acceding to the Establishment Agreement of FEDA, becoming the 16th nation to do so.

He said this underscored the increasing backing the Fund enjoyed among African nations.

“This announcement comes three decades following Afreximbank’s establishment in Nigeria, a key milestone that boldly demonstrates Nigeria’s continued commitment to supporting Afreximbank and FEDA’s missions.

“ FEDA sees new memberships as critical to broadening its scope of interventions and its mission of delivering long-term capital to African economies, with a focus on industrialisation, intra-African trade and value-added exports.”

Musumba said the signing of the FEDA Establishment Agreement was expected to pave the way for the ratification of the agreement in due course.

“This will in turn bolster FEDA’s interventions in Nigeria.”

He quoted Prof. Benedict Oramah, President, Afreximbank and Chairman of the Boards of both Afreximbank and FEDA, as saying: ”we extend our sincere appreciation to the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the signing of the FEDA Establishment Agreement.

“This significant achievement further strengthens the already robust partnership between Afreximbank and Nigeria, one of the bank’s foremost supporters.

“The partnership will enhance investments in sectors critical to the development journey of Nigeria.”

Musumba said FEDA is the impact investment subsidiary of Afreximbank set up to provide equity, quasi-equity, and debt capital to finance the multi-billion-dollar funding gap (particularly in equity) needed to transform the Trade sector in Africa.

He said other countries who had acceded to FEDA’s Establishment Agreement included Rwanda, Mauritania, Guinea, Togo, South Sudan, and Zimbabwe.

Musumba said others are Kenya, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Príncipe, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana and Egypt.

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