Awka
Anambra State Fisheries and Aquaculture Business Development Agency (FABDA) and the Anambra State Polytechnic (ANSPOLY) Mgbakwu has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to boost Fish Production and Human Capital Development in the State through the collective efforts of the two state institutions
The partnership is in line with the economic and human development agenda of the present administration of Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo for the benefit of Anambrarians.
The Fisheries and Aquaculture Business Development Agency (FABDA) by its Mandate, is the custodian of the Policy and Guidelines of the Fisheries and Aquaculture economic development in the state, while the Polytechnic owns the Fish Production facilities and desires to operate them to generate money as well as produce Human resources concurrently.
The Table Fish Production facility at ANSPOLY, has the capacity to generate 2,500kg of Table Fish per month and 30,000kg of Table Fish per annum accordingly.
Speaking during the MoU signing ceremony, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FABDA, Mr Emeka Iloghalu said the event signposts the firm and responsible commitment of FABDA to ensure the activation and progression of commercial activities in the Fisheries and Aquaculture Value Chain in the State.
He revealed that the Table Fish Cooperative Society Ltd and any other business entity like the Seed Fish and Fingerlings Production Cooperative Society Ltd which are distinct businesses in the Value Chain, are already in the process to separately take up the Fish Production facilities at the Polytechnic.
According to him, the FABDA’s role in the partnership is to ensure that these Cooperative businesses operate according to and in compliance with the Anambra State Fisheries and Aquaculture Socio-economic Policy and Guidelines respectively.
“Today is a memorable day and a breakthrough for the FABDA team.
We have signed this MoU, which is a commitment of good faith and good will to get the Fish Production facilities in the Anambra State Polytechnic to become productive in the commercial sense.
“We have, in line with our mandate as FABDA, brought one of the key fish production cooperatives, the Table-fish Production Cooperative Society Limited, to operate an aspect of the facility to produce table fish.
“The facility on ground as we have seen can conveniently do 2,500kg of table fish on monthly basis and with our standard operating procedures and guidelines, we are confident that these facilities will soon commence production and we will build on that until it gets to its optimum capacity,” he said.
On the benefits of the partnership, Iloghalu explained that with this, there will be more fish, while a repository of knowledge on table fish production business will also be created, to groom students who will become viable to do the fish production business.
He said; “These facilities will serve some entrepreneurship and operational skills acquisition Training needs for students as well as third parties as stipulated in the partnership agreement.
“Also, as a result of the progress that will happen, there will be expansions, so there are a lot to gain from this venture.”
The FABDA Boss however, observed that there is a great demand for commitment towards the functionality of the partnership.
He stated that the FABDA is committed to driving the project to fruition because they have the contacts, the networks, the stakeholders, the business culture and other things required for the smooth running of this project.
On her part, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr Njideka Chiekezie said the MoU ceremony marks a milestone in the efforts of the institution to find relevance.
She recalled how the site for the fish production facilities had been lying fallow for many years, saying that the coming of the FABDA is quite strategic.
“I am so happy that we came to this point of signing the MoU today because the site has been abandoned and no investment has happened for a long time.
“It is worrisome that we can have such facilities and they have been idle for so long.
“This is my sixth month as acting Rector of this polytechnic and each time I see that facility I feel bad.
“I have tried reaching out to many agencies and many of them have even come to inspect the facilities but nothing eventually happened.
“Finally, when I reached out to the FABDA and followed up, they showed genuine interest and that is why we are here today,” she enthused.
Expressing satisfaction with the terms of the partnership, Chiekezie noted that the initiative to make it strictly a business, will ensure that the drivers will be committed and ultimately, it will yield in the collective dream of the partners to ensure that table fish is produced massively from the facilities.
