FG to train youths, women on aquaculture, says minister

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, says the Federal Government will set up training centres across the country to train women and youths on aquaculture.

Ogbeh stated this during a meeting with the management of the Triton Aqua Africa Limited, led by its Chairman, Ashvin Samtani in Abuja on Monday.

He said that there was need for governments to engage youths and women in agriculture by establishing skill acquisition centres across the country.

Ogbeh said the Federal Government had already acquired 100 hectares of land at Gaobe, in Kuje Area Council of the FCT for the establishment of the skill acquisition centre in FCT.

“The young people are not happy with us. We need to find jobs for them. The African economy is not doing very well. Even oil and gas will not employ a million workers at the best of time and we are heading for 500million people in 34 years.

“These young people want to work. We have just acquired a piece of land. We want to set up training centres in all kinds of agricultural fields.

“We are hoping to get them into six months training for them to own their small operations afterwards.

“We will invite you soon to help with the training of these youths and women,’’ he said.

The minister decried shortage of protein in the diet of Nigerians, stating that the country needed to encourage local production of other species of fish aside tilapia and cat fish.

He, however, said the government would continue to partner with research institutes and private groups to engage in massive investment in fish production.

The Minister said the Federal Government would continue to render necessary assistance to Triton Aqua Nigeria Limited towards its optimal local production of fish.

“Currently, our import bill on fish importation is about 700 million dollars per year.

“This is a huge amount. We need to stop the importation of fish by involving more youths and women into this business,’’ Ogbeh said.

He said the government of Nigeria would continue to render necessary assistance to Triton Aqua Nigeria Limited towards its optimal local production of fish.

Earlier, the chairman, Samtani said that with the support of the Nigerian government, the company produced 70,000 metric tonnes of fish in five years which generated about 3,000 jobs in the country.

He added that if his company was given necessary supports by the Nigeria government, it would save Nigeria 125 million dollars per annum in the next two to five years on importation of fish.

Samtani explained that as part of contributions to the vision of the present administration in creating jobs, the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Oyo state government to train youths.

“We will like the ministry to consider allocation of land and water bodies for local production of tilapia and catfish in the country.

“We have identified Gurara in Kaduna and Doma in Nasarawa as water bodies suitable for cage culture,” he said.