BY PHILIP EKE, YENAGOA

The programme officer Bayelsa State Agricultural Development programme
(ADP) has stressed the need of the general public to involve in fish farming in making the ends meet.

The programme officer of ADP Bayelsa State Mr. Ebiakpo Ndiomu Made the
revelation in a one day workshop for fish farmers in acquiring the needed knowledge in the lucrative business at the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Yenagoa recently.

The event which was made possible by the Bayelsa ADP office in Yenagoa
tasks fish farmers to be very proactive in the business, highlighting that the business is very lucrative and can earn revenue for farmers and the country at large, when properly earnest, this propelled ADP and WAP to partner in the production of fingering for fish farmers in Bayelsa State in a very subsidized rate of Ten Naira per fingering.

According to the Bayelsa ADP boss, two hundred and fifty thousand fingerings are billed to be provided to fish farmers in Bayelsa State, noting that the first batch of forty thousand fingerings have been brought to the state to be distributed to interested registered fish farmers, the training which the ADP boss said is one day in upgrading their knowledge in fish cultivation.

The one day workshop was attended by the secretary to the Bayelsa State government Prof. Allison and other top government functionaries, stakeholders of the industry among others.

The secretary to Bayelsa state government in his remark appreciate ADP
and other principal stakeholders in coming up with the great workshop,
noting that the incentives should be extended to retiring civil servants to improve their living standard after retirement, equally, stressing that fish farming is part of Ijaw man culture which every able bodies  should venture. In identifying the real fish farmers and the portfolio farmers in Bayelsa State, Mr. Ndiomu asserted that several strategies have been put in place to check-mate the menace, also noting affirmatively that no financial inducement or support will be giving to fish farmers, at the end of the event, but, the accredited fish farmers will get their loans through the designated
banks as at when due when payment commences.