Give us fishing vessels, fishermen urge FG

From Femi Oyelola Kaduna

Nigeria Union of Fishermen and Seafood Dealers (NUFAS),has called on the Federal Government to assist its members by providing them with fishing vessels and trawlers in order to boost their business across the country.
NUFAS members, rising from a meeting chaired by its National President in Kaduna, Alhaji Sani Usman Rilwan reminded the government of their written proposals and letter to the Office of the President and the Minister of Agriculture on the need for the government to come to their aid.
Rilwan said the Union which has over 15 million registered members across the country decided to cry out to government to look into their plight in order for them to boost sufficient food supply in the country.
The union also said, there is need for the Federal Government and state government to look into the plight of fishermen and seafood dealer by,“Assisting them to obtain fishing vessel at reasonable costs to enable them continue to add to the economy of the nation from their trade.
“We want the federal government to assist us and connect the Union with investors to partner and purchase all needed tools including trawlers and vessels for us.
“We also want governments to build modern fish market in their respective states for food security and revenue generation,” He said.
Coordinators from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria were in attendance including some of the national executive members.
According to the president of the fishermen, the Union which has many cooperatives society has been in existence for more than 30 years as a registered organization, which needed more of government incentives to executive its lawful duties.
He however, appealed to members to rally round the union to make it withstand hard times, just as he noted that majority of the members have not done enough to assist the Union.
Alhaji Rilwan therefore called on individual members to assist the Union in any capacity to survive.