The Kebbi State government recently partnered with the World Fish Programme so as to improve the fisheries potential of the state. The state Governor, Abubakar Bagudu, who has vowed to uplift the state’s agricultural sector, said while receiving officials of the programme in Birnin Kebbi that the state’s huge fisheries potential was being adversely affected by the effectsw of climate change.
He noted that even the Matanfada river, where the Argungu International Fishing Festival takes place, is already drying up. Bagudu said in spite of the setback, the government was determined to invest in the sector as the “state has the potential to do much better in fishery, just like rice farming”.
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“We are going to improve fishing activities in the state because Kebbi is the home of farmers and fishery. “Many fishermen around Nigeria, particularly in places like Borno, Kogi, Taraba are from Kebbi. We acknowledge that climate change is frustrating our fishing activities in the country.
“In 2018, I visited Argungu, the Emir of Argungu took me to Matanfada, we stood on its stone and he said never in his life had he seen the stone with his naked eyes which was at the bottom of the river, but now drying up. The government will mobilise all fishing communities to change the situation,” he said.
The governor, therefore, urged the World Fish Programme to bring in its expertise and work with local experts to improve the situation. He also assured that his administration’s target was to help lower income earners get out of poverty.
Earlier, the World Fish Program Coordinator, Dr Harrison Charo, said they were in the state on the invitation of the governor to assist in harnessing the enormous fish resources available in the state. Charo said ”we are ready to work and improve the status of fishing activities in the state.”
In his first term, Governor Bagudu introduced laudable initiatives that has positioned Kebbi as the agro-business destination of Nigeria as various agri commodities including rice, tomatoes, wheat and several others have been produced in great quantities in the state, clearly sign-posting that Kebbi State is fully ready to invest and benefit from the agricultural value-chain for which it is well endowed.
Yetunde Adegoke
