Ebonyi Lawmaker Trains 50 Youths on Fish Production

Hon Linus Okorie

The member Representing  Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal constituency, Hon Linus Okorie as part of his determined effort to ride the constituency of social vices and empower the teeming youths of the constituency, yesterday commenced the training of 50 youths on fish production.

The youths are being trained by the Federal School of Fisheries and Marine Technology Lagos. Hon Okorie. Who is also the Chairman House committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions said the youths are to receive training on how to rear consumable fish and also on how to produce different types of feeds.

Declaring the training open, Hon Okorie said the training was meant to enable them apply the knowledge in creating wealth for themselves.

He said, “the country is changing and people need to eat. The country should produce what it eats and eat what it produces. Importation of fish is telling on the economy and now the government says we must feed ourselves.

“Even if we have all the food, we still need the safest protein which is fish. Since we produce considerable quantity of food in Ebonyi state, we are going to complement it with fish production so that we can attain self sufficiency.”

He urged the trainees to share the knowledge from the training with others so that the state could boast of having enough fish farmers.

“Our plan is not just to train you but to imbibe in you so that you become masters in fish production, because we have plans for food chain that includes marketing of the products.

“We need to build local capacity on fish production, it will be followed with fish driers and we will create value chain which will bring about jobs for hundreds in fish business,” said Okorie.

He urged them to ensure they form themselves into cooperative groups, which he said will give them additional support such as loan facilities for greater fish production.

The Chief trainer, Dr. Chuks Onuoha from the Federal school of fisheries, urged the participants to adequately utilize the learning and support facilities that will be given to them after the training, noting that after the training they would the potential of making good leaving from the business.