The Lagos State Government has empowered 680 youth fishermen cooperative society members in the state with 34 fibre glass boats with outboard engines and other ancillary fishing equipment.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya made the presentation to beneficiaries at the Agricultural Development Authority (ADA) Complex, Oko-Oba, Agege.
Olusanya said that the empowerment was done under the 2021 Agricultural Value Chains Enterprise Activation Programme inaugurated by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu in July.
She said that the government was committed to supporting the fishery value chain. She added that it is envisaged that the deployment of the fishing assets would create over 2,000 jobs in both the up and down streams of the artisanal fisheries value chain and produce 4,531 metric tonnes of fish annually. Olusanya said that the boat was donated to one cooperative group that comprises of 20 members each.
She noted that the ministry was also partnering with Ecobank and Old Mutual Assurance to provide banking services, track cash flow in the business and aid fleet expansion for the fishermen.
She said that the partnership was aimed at monitoring the activities of each cooperative group in order to ensure that they make judicious use of the equipment.
“Today, we are distributing the fibre glass boat to 34 cooperative groups free of charge under the 2021 Agricultural Value Chains Enterprise Activation Programme.
“We need to monitor your activities to ensure you utilise the equipment very well and also expand and increase the number of your fleet with the support of the financial institution.
“The banks are here to plan your business and increase opportunities for the generation to come.
