The Senate has said that it would support Atlantic Africa Gulf of Guinea Fisheries(AAGF), a Greek Consortium on improved fish production and processing in the country.
This is in a bid to diversify the economy.
Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege who said this when the group visited him at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
The project is to kick start from the Niger Delta geopolitical zone to spread to other geopolitical zones in the country.
The University of Patras, Greece will train 2, 500 persons for a start, build state of the art processing plant in Nigeria as well as trollers that could go as far as 200 nautical miles where canoes cannot reach.
Omo-Agege, who was delighted with the initiative said that the senate would give the consortium the needed support because according to him, it fitted into President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda of lifting over 100 million people out of poverty.
“I am convinced this is something that will create job opportunities and wealth for our people in the region.
“This shouldn’t just be about the Ministry of Labour. This initiative is better suited for agencies like the Amnesty Programme that will help integrate our youth into the economy.
“I will be talking with those in charge of the
amnesty programme so that there could be some sort of synergy.
“With the initiative, we are not only going to be self sufficient in fish cash for our own consumption but also for export.
“You have the backing of the Nigerian Senate as you move along with this programme,” Omo-Agege said.
Earlier, Sen.Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta Affairs to the President said that his office was working on oil alternative economy and economic diversification in the Niger Delta and the economy of Nigeria.
“Part of what we are doing to diversify the economy is tapping into the blue economy of the sea and the green economy of the land.
“It is team that is coming into Nigeria with the intention to build fishing vessels.
” This is to be able to explore the large fishing potential in the gulf of the Guinea in the Niger Delta through Lagos, through the entire seashore of West Africa and particularly concentrating within the territorial waters of Nigeria.
“With this lofty idea, we are here to get the backing of the legislature,” Enang said.
