Nigeria’s first lady Commissions Newly Acquired 10.1 Million Euro Research Vessel in Poland

Nigeria's First Lady, Dame
Patience Goodluck Jonathan, has
stated that the acquisition of the
10.1Million Euro Research vessel
for the Nigerian Institute of
Oceanography and Marine
Research by the Federal
Government, would boost
Nigeria's local fish supply and
successfully help in achieving the
policy of the government
towards self-sufficiency in fish
production in the near future.

Dame Patience Jonathan said this
on Wednesday, 13th August,
2014, in Gdanski, Poland , during
the commissioning and
christening of the vessel named
"RV Bayagbona".
The First Lady said that the focus
of the Agricultural
Transformation Agenda (ATA)
has been to promote strategies
for ensuring sustainable fish
stocks, integrated fisheries
management, aquaculture and
improving trade through
established global best practices
in overall fisheries management.

Mrs Jonathan said, "Nigeria is
blessed with abundant aquatic
resources with a coastline of 853
kilometres, also rich in fish and
shrimps". She maintained that
the Niger Delta of Nigeria is
reputed as the second largest
salt-water habitat in the world
and has shrimps that are most
highly valued resource after
crude oil.
She commended the Minister of
Agriculture and Rural
Development for the successful
acquisition of the vessel which
according to her, would help to
boost Nigeria's capacity in
marine and oceanographic
research for sustainable
management of our vast deep-
sea resources.

In his remarks at the ceremony,
the Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development, Dr.
Akinwunmi Adesina, explained
that the approval for the
purchase of the 10.1 Million
Euros Deep vessel by President
Jonathan became imperative in
view of the need to properly
monitor and manage the
diversity of the country's
resources.

Dr. Adesina said that Nigeria has
no business importing fish,
saying "Nigeria has abundance
of water. We are blessed with
numerous lakes, rivers,
reservoirs, dams and flood plains,
spanning about 13 million
hectares which can support
artisanal fisheries and
aquaculture".

He disclosed that
Nigerian shrimp is considered
one of the best in the world and
presently generates foreign
exchange worth $65 million
annually.
The Minister stated that work has
started on the unlocking of
Nigeria's fisheries potential with
the launch of a nationwide
provision of subsidized fisheries
inputs last year. He said, "Fish
farmers were registered under
the e-wallet scheme and
provided with juveniles and
subsidized fish feed.

Artisanal
fishermen were provided with
nets, ropes, sinkers, floats and
insulated boxes free of charge
and canoes at 50% subsidy.
He said the Federal Government
has begun a coordinated inter-
agency effort to curb incidents of
piracy and armed robbery at sea,
saying "Nigeria will not tolerate
illegal fishing in its territorial
waters and will work with
international agencies to enforce
compliance".
The vessel constructed by
Remomtowa Holdings was
named after the First Executive
Director of the Nigerian Institute
of Oceanography and Marine
Research.

Reference:
www.fmard.gov.ng/news_inside.php?nid=156