Bayelsa, European Consortium Sign MoU For Aquaculture

NIGERIA
Monday, July 05, 2021, 02:00 (GMT + 9)

Bayelsa State’s focus on Agricultural development got a boost during the week with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a European fishing consortium that includes some Nigerian firms.

The deal with the consortium, African Atlantic Gulf of Guinea Fisheries (AAGGF), was facilitated by the Federal Government through the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta, Senator Ita Enang.

At the signing ceremony in Government House, Yenagoa, Governor Douye Diri disclosed that the pact would generate employment for no fewer than 4,000 youths and that 2,500 would be trained in fish farming and given European Union certification.

Governor Diri also said the deal involved creation of 4,000 jobs in the first year as well as construction of a boat building yard with trawlers and fish processing plant of over 20,000-metric tonne capacity alongside a 300-hectare offshore aquaculture farm.

He called on the youths to take advantage of the opportunity rather than dissipating energy on profitless ventures.
Diri also called on other foreign investors to take a cue from African Atlantic Gulf of Guinea Fisheries by exploring the investment opportunities that abound in the state.

Describing Bayelsa as one of the most peaceful states in the country, the governor assured foreign and local investors of the needed support for their business in the state.

“I like to use this opportunity to call on our youths that while we preach prosperity it would not be money flying from heaven. Prosperity would be by what we have done and the youths should seize this opportunity because the benefits therefrom are very enormous to our state.

“Two thousand five hundred youths will be trained. Lecturers from the University of Patras in Greece will train youths from Bayelsa and graduates from the training will be awarded European Union-standard certification. This is an international certification and it enables you to work anywhere in the world.

Bayelsa is a southern state in Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta region. (Source: Wikipedia)-->

“Very importantly, what we have just witnessed is that this will lead to the creation of 4,000 jobs and from their roadmap, that would be just in the first year.

“They are also going to have boat building yards, trawlers and fish processing plants of over 20,000-metric tonne capacity and 300-hectare offshore aquaculture farm.

“This is what this prosperity government has been preaching, asking our people to go into farming and aquaculture because we are a state sitting on the fish belt of Nigeria.”

Bayelsa Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, David Alagoa, said the agreement with the AAGGF specified that 50 per cent of the catch would be sold in the country while the other 50 per cent would be for export.

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