Tilapia Aquaculture Developers Association of Nigeria has harvested the first set of tilapia fishes at a ground-breaking ceremony in Iseyin, Oyo State, last Saturday.
At the event which held at Ikere Gorge Dam, the Managing Director, Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority, Engr. Akintunde Soyemi lauded the achievement of TADAN and assured greater support of fish farming.
“This achievement is a clear demonstration and testimony that the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) policy of the Federal Government is realistic. It has shown that this policy is capable of facilitating rapid socio-economic development of Nigeria.
“The significance of this development is that concrete efforts are being made to propel Nigeria towards self-sufficiency in fish production,” Soyemi added.
Highlighting the challenges involved in ensuring the dams are working to realize full potentials, Soyemi noted that the river basin authority had strived within its lean budgets to achieve some results. He expressed optimism on the completion of the projects under this current administration.
For President of TADAN, Remi Ahmed, the harvest ceremony is a fulfilling outing. “I’m delighted on the caliber of dignitaries present for this ground-breaking event. It shows the interest and commitment to fish farming,” Ahmed noted.
Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer of Choice Fisheries Consults Limited, highlighted that the environment in Iseyin is ‘relatively good for tilapia farming’. He therefore called on authorities to give more support to the business.
The harvest ceremony also witnessed the launch of “Tilapia in cages” centered on promoting the culture of tilapia business and the overall diversification of the economy.
According to the National Secretary of the association, Adedeji Fatai Abiodun, the initiative is expected to “promote the culture of Tilapia in cages in our abundant water body in the country which is in line with the development of diversification of our resources and income as a nation, stimulate self-sufficiency in fish and export of fish.
“This will save some of the foreign exchange and create more employment in its entire value chain,” Abiodun noted.
Advising TADAN, Soyemi called on a synergy between fisheries departments of various Agriculture Research Institutes and Universities of Agriculture nationwide as well as the importers of fish. He noted that this partnership will help develop and grow other species of fish.