FCT minister expresses commitment to boost aquaculture industry, create jobs

MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has expressed readiness of the FCT Administration to key into the Fish Cage Culture Development initiative to boost fish production and create jobs for the youth.

A statement issued in Abuja on Saturday noted that Bello said this when he granted audience to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Economic Matters, Mr Bright Dolapo.

“The present administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari will in line with its avowed promise continue to implement strategies geared toward strengthening the Nigerian economy.

“Such innovative programmes have the potential of creating jobs for teeming unemployed youths in the FCT,’’ Bello said.

He also commended the Federal Government for the selection of FCT as one of the five pilot states to benefit from the implementation of the programme.

The FCT minister also directed the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS) as well as the Abuja Enterprise Agency to ensure that fishing communities and youths in the FCT were carried along.

Earlier, Mr Dolapo informed the FCT minister that the selection of FCT was due to the presence of rich and abundant water bodies that abound in the territory.

He said that his team along with officials of ARDS had already carried out feasibility assessment of the various water bodies and identified those suitable for the programme.

The statement also quoted Mrs Ifeoma Okeke, the Deputy Director in Charge of Fishery at the ARDS as saying “some of the proposed sites for the project are located in the six Area Councils of the territory’’.