Zamfara SSG charges agric scientists on technique for Nigeria’s economic breakthrough

THE Secretary to the state Government, Zamfara state, Professor Muhammad Abdullahi Shinkafi has called on Nigerian agricultural scientists, especially, fish scientists to develop an economic technique that could give the country an economic breakthrough in the international scene.

Professor Shinkafi stated this while addressing journalists at the 2018 international conference and Annual General Meeting of Association of Nigerian Fisheries Scientists (ANIFS) held at the First Bank hall, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ibadan.

Shinkafi, a professor of Forestry and guest at the event also advised the scientists to make available their research work to the government and corporate agencies to boost national development and solve some perenial problems confronting the country.

He said “the association must shun the tradition of limiting itself to organising conferences, sharing ideas to the classrooms and among colleagues. You find out that most of research findings are required whether by individual investors, some corporate organsations and companies, at times even the general public. So, we must find a way of taking this findings to their doorsteps, we have to sensitise them enough so that they are aware of the innovations and ideas new in developing fisheries in Nigeria, what we required to develop. Like I said, developing and sustaining resources is the answer to socio-economic problems in Nigeria.

“In 70s, we had oil boom, but now what we’re witnessing is oil doom. Something has to be done to make sure that these findings are taking to our doorsteps of government, and I am sure it will help in enhancing the economy of the people.”

Speaking on the way to achieve this, Professor Shinkafi said “the easies way is to enhance communication and reach out. if you don’t blow your trumpet, nobody will do it for you. If you have some findings, take them to the government, take them to the local authorities, take them to even NGos, CDOs within different localities, and with that, you become popular enough and you find out that your research will be popular enough. And that will be a way of sustaining the even the research itself.

“Even till this moment, Nigeria has still not been able to get the full potentials of aqua business. I understand, fishes do not replicate and multiply in captivity. If simulate techniques can be developed through research, I think it will be an international breakthrough and will go a long way in addressing the deficiency in the sector. You can see that we are still importing fish up till now in Nigerian, and that is not good enough. We have a lot of water resources, we have enough land and everything it takes to feed ourselves, there is no point relying on importation.”

In his address, the head of ANIFS 2018 management team, Professor Joseph Kayode Ipinjolu of the department of fisheries and Acquaculture, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, said the association is ready to participate with other related professional associations in the country.

He said “the association is aware of other related professional associations in the country, such as the fisheries society of Nigeria as well as in other local and international bodies. We shall partner with these associations for the advancement of fisheries profession and development of the fisheries industry. We believed that these other associations shall be major beneficiaries of the activities of ANIFS.”