As part of efforts to improve production of various shoals of fish through full exploration of abandoned Federal Government dam in Kwara, the state government says it has planned to relocate catfish farmers from pond farms at Yidi road to Asa River bank in Ilorin, thereby creating a cluster of fish farmers in the state.
Speaking on government move to create a cluster for fish farmers, Goke Bamidele, commissioner for Agriculture in the state, said that proposed new site for the fish farmers would give room for development of the sector as Asa river bank provides an environment that is conducive for fish farming to thrive.
Also speaking on the development, Ibrahim Salman, director general of Kwara State Bureau of Lands, stated that the presence of fish ponds has posed security threat to residents of Yidi road area and it is imperative for government to lessen environmental threat and further boost fish farming business in the state.
“We received a report from the residents in Yidi road that hoodlums and burglars have been disturbing them and they would escape through the fish farm axis. We have being thinking of how to secure the place and protect the residents without distracting the business of the fish farmers as the place was even flooded sometimes back.
“Recently, we received an application from Tuyil Pharmaceutical industry with desire to expand its factory there and we saw the application as solution to the problem in the area. We now approach Ministry of Agriculture to guide us on possible alternative location for new fish farm and provision of infrastructure,” he explained.
The DG also noted that against the backdrop of speculation that Tuyil intended to relocate to a state where it has been offered free land, the state government deemed it necessary to provide the incentive.
“We predicted the threat it will pose on Kwara economy considering the fact that Tuyil has more than 6,000 employees and has been paying tax regularly. We now recommend to the state governor for consideration and approval that the land should be concessioned to Tuyil to expand his factory and encourage him to remain in Kwara,” he added.
Salman however stressed that condition was given for a smooth relocation of the fish farmers to Asa River banks.
Meanwhile, a cross section of affected fish farmers who spoke to journalists and craved anonymity, decried the development, saying it would adversely affect their businesses just as they called on the state government to reconsider plans in the interest of fish farming development in the state.
The farmers urged the state government to create additional natural fish ponds to encourage more people to embrace agriculture as a way of diversifying the state economy.
It was learnt that the fish farmers have been given till middle of next year (2017), to vacate the site.
However, in order to turn the current the economic downturn in the country into blessings, Nigerians have been urged to be proactive by embracing agriculture.
A Professor of Agriculture in the University of Ilorin, Job Olutimeyin Atteh, stated this in Ilorin while fielding questions from newsmen. According to him, agriculture, used to be the stronghold of the nation’s economy before the discovery of oil, but was relegated to the background by the past administrations because they lack foresight.
The agricultural expert, who described agriculture as the basic fundamental of all economies, however urged everyone irrespective of academic qualification or traditional titles to consider farming as the solution to the current slump of the nation’s economy.
Atteh, who is the chairman of Unilorin Oil Palm Plantation, described the current state of the nation as blessings in disguise. He then implored Nigerians to consider Nigeria’s farm products as the best in the world, describing the country’s arable land as the best gift from God, which needs to be explored.
Speaking on the Unilorin Oil Palm Plantation, Atteh noted that the produce of the plantation would soon be available for consumption of the members of the University community as well as the neighbouring communities of the University of Ilorin.
SIKIRAT SHEHU
