Nigeria may soon ban fish importation — Minister

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development, Akinwumi Adesina, said on
Tuesday that the Federal Government
may soon place a total ban on the
importation of fish and other aquatic
consumables.
Mr. Adesina said this in Ado-Ekiti at the
launch of the Special Growth
Enhancement Support (GES) scheme for
Fisheries and Aquaculture value chain.
He, however, said that the ban would be
imposed, only if arrangements being put
in place by the government to that effect
worked as planned.
The minister, represented at the occasion
by the Federal Director of Fisheries,
Foluke Areola, stressed that Nigeria had
no business importing fish given its huge
natural and renewable resources.
He said it was in view of this that the
ministry was promoting increased fish
production through the Aquaculture Value
Chain.
This is in pursuance of the goal of the
Agricultural Transformation Agenda
(ATA), he said.
“The Value Chains are to create an
enabling environment for increased and
sustainable production of over one million
tonnes of fish within the next four years,
generate employment and pursue gradual
reduction of fish imports,” he said.
Mr. Adesina said the Aquaculture Value
Chain, under the four- year
implementation plan, would increase the
annual production of fingerlings in the
country by 1.25 billion tonnes.
He said it would also produce 400,000
tonnes of fish feed, generate additional
250,000 tonnes of table fish and 100,000
tonnes of Value Added fish products.
“Fish farming is a business venture with
lots of potential investment opportunities
and a veritable tool for increased fish
production, poverty alleviation and
sustainable livelihoods,” the minister said.
The minister noted that the Aquaculture
Value Chain had already been included in
the Growth Enhancement Support (GES)
scheme for 2013.
Under the scheme, inputs such as fish
and other sea foods would be distributed
to many Nigerian fish farmers, he said.
The minister commended President
Goodluck Jonathan’s initiative in
transforming agriculture into a serious
business venture as well as in ensuring
adequate food security for Nigerians.
He announced that in an effort by
government to protect local fish farmers
operating in the country, measures had
been put in place to curb illegal
importation of fish.
Mr. Adesina said that the ministry was
collaborating with officers and men of the
Nigeria Customs Service in this regard,
adding that the Federal Department of
Fisheries had also been directed to ensure
the stoppage of importation of the banned
fish inputs.
In his speech, Governor Kayode Fayemi,
who was represented by the Secretary to
the State Government, Ganiyu Owolabi,
thanked the Federal Government for its
benevolence.
He said the state government would
support its policies and programmes on
agriculture.