Lagos – Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, has pledged the Federal Government's assistance towards the sustenance of the Artisanal Fishing Inputs Service Development programme in Lagos State.
Adesina made the pledge at the launch of the programme by the state Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives at Orimedu Beach, Ibeju Lekki , on Thursday.
The minister was represented by Dr Olajide Ayinla, the Executive Director, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Lagos.
“The days of Federal Government doing things on its own and states doing things on their own are over; we will now be doing things together.
“The government has passion for Lagos because it is looking at agriculture as a serious business.
“Again, Lagos State is the pioneer of this kind of programme,'' he said.
He said that the Federal Government was also planning a programme to enhance artisanal fishing in 2013, and gave the assurance that it would begin with Lagos state, being the pioneer of the programme.
Also speaking, Sen. Bareehu Ashafa (Lagos East Senatorial Dirstrict), remarked that fish farming would create employment and increase economic activities, if the programme was successfully implemented.
He said that the programme would help alleviate poverty among the youths and rejuvenate the culture of fishing among the people of Lagos.
“This programme will also help to discourage our youths who are engaged in commercial motorcycle (Okada) business.
“It will also promote availability of fresh fish and sustenance of local fish production in Lagos State and Nigeria in general,'' he said.
Mr Gbolahan Lawal, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, said that the programme was aimed at empowering and equipping youths.
He said that the state government had spent more than N3 million to purchase fish farming equipment for the programme.
The commissioner listed the cooperative groups involved in the pilot scheme of the programme to include Ibeju Lekki Fisher's Cooperatives, Ise-Oripa Fisher's Cooperatives and Bashiri Fisher's Cooperatives, among others.
“The state government have bought boat, net, hooks and others for each cooperative group under the programme,'' Lawal said. (NAN)
