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Tag: President Muhammadu Buhari

  • ‘Buhari’s government has redirected economy on value creation’.

    Factional members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state on Thursday hailed President Muhammadu Buhari administration for returning the economy of the nation in the direction of value creation.

    Chairman of the group,Idowu Otetubi who spoke after the meeting held in Akure,the state capital said the ruling party is proud of the Buhari administration’s effort  in curbing corruption and promoting agriculture.

    Otetubi, a chartered accountant urged APC members in the state to keep faith with the party,assuring of mobilising for the victory of President Buhari in the 2019 election.

    According to him,”Democracy has come to stay in Nigeria. It has not only endured, the present administration has demonstrated enough courage, stoic determination and legendary passion towards salvaging the nation’s economy.

    “We have come a long way. Before the advent of the present administration, our economy has a single revenue profile structure. To redirect It, it must be diversified. This the givernment has done and done very well.

    ” The president must be commended for his dogged fight against corruption. He has provided leadership and from all indication,the President is ready to rescue Nigeria from the hands of the few who see the country as their milking pot”.

    On APC affairs in the state, the factional chairman said efforts were being made to bring the party together as one.

    He lauded party leaders who visited some reporters and other party members assaulted by suspected political thugs during their state parallel congress in Akure.

    Otetubi said” Our party shall come out  stronger. I appeal to members of the party to be peaceful and law-abiding. I thank the leaders of our party who visited the journalists and other members of the party that were attacked by thugs during the recent state congress in Akure.”

    He expressed optimism that those behind the attack would be arrested and prosecuted soon.

     

  • Anambra Federal college gets provost

    President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Dr Theresa Obumneme Okoli as the fourth Provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical) in Umunze, Anambra State. Her appointment took effect from May 17.

    Okoli, a former Dean of School of Agriculture and Home Economics Education, became the first staff member  to be appointed provost. She took over from Dr Cecilia Ibekwe, who had been acting provost since January.

    There was jubilation on the campus when the provost assumed office last Friday. Her appointment was applauded by members of staff and students, who described her as “amicable and intelligent scholar”.

    She is expected to bring her wealth of experience to reposition the institution.

    Members of the academic staff hailed President Buhari for Okoli’s appointment, describing her choice as “popular”.

    She joined the institution in 1992 as an assistant lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Education. She rose through the ranks to become a principal lecturer in 2007 and later, chief lecturer in October 2011.

    She obtained first degree in Agricultural Education from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in 1990 and got her Master’s in Education in 1995. She also obtained doctoral degree from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) in 2011.

    She is a member of various professional associations, including the Forum for African Women Educationalist of Nigeria (FAWEN), Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), local and international chapters of World Council for Curriculum and Instruction (WCCI), Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN), Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Nigeria Association of Teacher of Technology (NATT), and Women in Colleges of Education (WICE).

  • Buhari to Maada Bio: We’ll support your efforts towards stability

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja assured the new President of Sierra Leone, Mr Julius Maada Bio, of Nigeria’s support, including military, as they work towards a stable and improved economy.

    Receiving the Sierra Leonean President at the Presidential Villa, President Buhari also congratulated Mr Bio on the successful elections and the transitions that had ushered in a new government in the country.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said “We will continually stand by you to ensure stability in your country.

    “We believe security in the West Coast region, Africa and the world should be a collective concern,’’ he said.

    Read Also:Osinbajo attends inauguration of Sierra Leone’s President Bio

    The President said Nigeria had for a long period provided security support for the country, especially during the 11 years of civil war, and would continue to assist the forces on the ground to ensure the peace and stability needed for development.

    Buhari noted that he shared a lot in common with the Sierra Leonean President, which includes ruling the country as a military general, contesting several elections as opposition and winning to face the challenges of security and an ailing economy.

    In his remarks, the President of Sierra Leone said his country remains grateful to Nigeria for the brotherly role it had played in ensuring an end to protracted civil war in the country, and the successful political transitions since then.

    Mr Bio said he would work towards deepening the bilateral relations with Nigeria, and the strengthening of the regional bond, particularly in the areas of security and trade.

     

  • The last lap

    Like in 4x100m relay, the first tenure of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari today marks the third year anniversary.  The anniversary also marks the beginning of the last lap of the administration, which will terminate on May 29,2019.

    Just like in the 4x100m race, the athletes put in their very last effort in the last lap in order to win the race.

    So the last one year of this first four years tenure is so significant that it will have impact, whether minor or major, on the success rate of President Buhari getting a second term in 2019 or otherwise.

    It will offer opportunity for the government to tackle any of the remaining promises yet to be fulfilled.

    While the government is believed to have done well in fighting corruption and securing the nation (although herdsmen killings increased this year in Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba and other states) in the past three years, many Nigerians believe that there is still more to be done to improve the Nigerian economy.

    So, it was a cheering news last Wednesday, at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting, to hear that the Nigerian economic indices for the first quarter of 2018 were not only encouraging, but will ensure achievement of the targets set for the whole of 2018.

    Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, had said “I presented the latest NBS GDP result which was released on Monday. It showed a GDP growth rate of 1.95 percent with both the oil as well as the non-oil sectors continuing to grow.

    “Council was most encouraged by this result particularly because the first quarter is usually the weakest quarter.

    “With this first quarter achieving 1.95 percent, we are on track to achieve the 3.5 percent GDP growth rate which is our target for this year.

    “Particularly, we believe that once the infrastructure spending in the 2018 starts to kick in, the whole economy will receive a further boost as more jobs will be created, consumer spending will increase thereby improving the performance of the servicing sector.

    “And apart from the GDP numbers, Council is also very happy to see the positive trend in all other major economic indices including inflation which has been trending down and capital importation which has been going up as well as our Foreign Currency Reserve which has been going up.

    “You will recall that our FOREX 2016 were about $23 billion and it is now $47billion.” he stated.

    With the latest figures, some well-meaning Nigerians are hoping that at the end of the year there will be more jobs, less hunger in the land and general buoyancy of the Nigerian economy.

    It is also hoped that the campaign activities and other political issues that will crop up ahead of the 2019 elections will not be allowed to distract the government.

    Buhari, fasting and multiple gains 

     Nigerian Muslims, just like their counterparts across the globe, are presently observing one month Ramadan fasting, being one of the five pillars of Islam.

    For every day of the month, they are expected to abstain from food, drink and sexual activity from dawn to sunset.

    Through the fasting, Muslims are expected to be involve in act of deeply personal worship towards raising their level of closeness to God.

    Muslims are expected to avoid all obscene and irreligious stimuli in order to remain pure in thought and action.They are also expected to follow strictly the teachings of Islam by refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, gossip, and also try to get along with each other better. Despite the spiritual gains that come from such fasting, some Muslims, who do not fall within the exception categories, may look for one reason or the other to avoid it. But President Muhammadu Buhari last week Tuesday hammered on the medical benefits of fasting besides the spiritual gains. He asked those who may want to avoid the fasting to reconsider their decisions.

    While breaking fast with members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), service chiefs and heads of security agencies at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, President Buhari highlighted the health benefits of fasting.

    He specifically recommended fasting for those who are fat and overweighed.

    The President stated “I think it is not a matter of making speeches here. I just said I should start with the Executive Council and the service chiefs so that we would share our experiences.

    “For those who have too much weight I think (fasting) is very healthy for them,’’ he said.Following the President’s recommendation, those in the new Banquet Hall venue of the fast breaking laughed and clapped for the number one citizens

    Buhari and VP seat humour 

    President Muhammadu Buhari last Friday again showed his visitors how humorous he could be.

    He joked about the Vice President’s seat in the 2019 election despite the fact that his visitors, Nigerian Female Parliamentarians, were serious about their demands.

    The venue was the Council Chamber of the State.

    Topmost among the demands made by Elizabeth Ativie on behalf of the delegation, which comprised elected lawmakers from the nation’s 36 states, was the reservation for women the seat of Vice President of Nigeria from the 2019 elections upward.

    “Whenever the president is a man, the Vice President should be a woman,” she had demanded

    The main reason she gave for this and other demands was that Nigerian women were being marginalized by their male counterparts.

    But rather than respond seriously to the demand, President Buhari cracked a joke with the issue even as the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was not at the event.

    He said “It is a pity that the Vice President is not here, but I am sure the Secretary to the Government of the Federation will brief him that his position is threatened.”

    Some of those in the hall, who caught the President’s joke, could not help but laughed.

  • Buhari to broadcast on Tuesday 

    President Muhammadu Buhari will make a national broadcast on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at 7a.m as part of activities to commemorate the 2018 Democracy Day celebrations.

    This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina.

    Read Also:2019: NBC warns broadcasting stations over political campaigns, hate speeches

    “Television and radio stations are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Radio Nigeria for the broadcast,” he said.

  • Oil boom: Deconstructing Buhari’s facts

    Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf, who fact-checked President Muhammadu Buhari’s claims on state of the oil sector from 1999 till date, shares the outcome of his findings

    President Muhammadu Buhari last Tuesday while speaking to members of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, heaped praises on the late head of the military junta, Gen. Sani Abacha for building roads and developing infrastructure in the country.

    Abacha was Nigeria’s military Head of State from 1993 to June, 1998 when he passed away.

    Buhari said “No matter what opinion you have about Abacha, I agreed to work with him and the PTF road we did from here to Port Harcourt, to Onitsha, to Benin and so on… On top of other things in the institution, education, medical care and so on.”

    President Buhari also wondered why the country is still in debt despite the huge income from crude oil realised by previous administrations.

    Speaking inter alia, President Buhari said: “I have to repeat what I want public to know here. Some of you may not have heard it. Either there is no power in your place or even in the television, I said and I challenge anybody to check from Europe, Asia and America. Between 1999 and 2014, Nigeria was getting 2.1 million barrels per day at average cost of $100 dollars per barrel.

    “It went up to $143. So Nigeria was earning 2.1m million times 100 times 16 years seven days a week. When we came, it collapsed to $37-38 and it was oscillating between 40 and 54 sometimes. I went to the Governor of Central Bank; thank goodness I did not sack him; he is still there! I went with my cap in my hand but there were no savings, only debt.”

    However a fact check on some of the claims made by Buhari showed that he was mostly wrong.

    The claims

    He had claimed that oil prices averaged $100 per barrel between 1999 and 2014, when in actual fact, Brent crude, the benchmark grade for Nigerian oil, sold for an average of $55.8 per barrel in nominal terms within that period, according to data compiled from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

    Specifically, the BP Statistical Review which list oil prices since 1861 till 2016 showed that the average prices from 1999-2004 was $44.

    Buhari had said ‘‘I challenge anybody to check from Europe, America and Asia; between 1999-2014, Nigeria was producing 2.1 million barrels of crude oil per day at an average cost of US$100 per barrel and it went up to US$143.”

    Buhari was elected in May 29 2015, on that day a barrel of Brent crude traded for $65.56 according to a historical price compilation on the Financial Times markets portal.

    Brent would average $57 that year and it wasn’t until December 2015 that the price slipped to an all-year low of $37.93 per barrel, perhaps this is the period the President was referring to, as a supply glut exacerbated by American shale output and the resumption of Iranian exports, combined with slowing Chinese demand to send prices tumbling.

    Buhari is however closer to the actual daily production average with his claim of 2.1 million barrels daily.

    Between 1999 and 2014, the average daily production was 2.3 million barrels.

    The low point in that period was in 2002, when Africa’s largest oil producer pumped an average of 2.1 million barrels daily. Three years later, in 2005, the country pumped its highest volumes of the period- some 2.6 million barrels daily. However there was a huge slump in production to as low as 700,000 barrels per day at some point at the height of the Niger Delta militancy between 2006 and 2009, before President Umaru Yar’Adua declared an amnesty that helped oil output rebound.

    Buhari’s statement that he went to the CBN Governor cap in hand to get a bird’s eye view of the state of the economy while it is true hardly means anything. The external reserve is the dollar equivalent of oil revenue that the country earns and has already been disbursed to the government in naira by the central bank, meaning it shouldn’t be considered as the government’s savings, except if adjusted for cash stashed away in the ECA or federal government savings.

    The Excess Crude Account (ECA) is used to save oil revenues above an amount derived from the budgeted benchmark price and was created in 2004 by then President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    There was $2 billion in the account as at May 2015 when Buhari came into power. The savings in the ECA was as high as $20 billion before the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

    It is unclear if federal government savings were factored into the gross $30 billion external reserves with the Central Bank in May 2015.

    Regarding debts, according to the Debt Management office (DMO), Nigeria’s debt profile was N12.12 trillion as at June 2015, a month after Buhari assumed office.

    The domestic portion amounted to N8.4 trillion, with federal government bonds accounting for the largest chunk at 63 percent, while the external portion was $10.3 billion, with multilateral loans from the World Bank Group and Africa Development Bank Group dominating the pack at $7.23 billion.

    As at December 2017, the domestic debt had nearly doubled to N12.6 trillion, with bonds still accounting for the largest share- 69.23 percent, while external debt rose 83 percent to $18.9 billion.

    It would appear that the debt has all but risen since Buhari rode into power, but then he could point to ailing oil revenues as a reason why his administration racked up record debt to stimulate an economy that choked under the pangs of the oil price and production downturn and slipped into its first recession in 25 years in 2016.

    The President’s claim that his administration splurged on capital budgets in 2016 and 2017 is not far from the truth, as far as it is in naira terms but not in dollar terms.

    In defence of  Buhari

    With the Buhari administration’s chaos sucking up all the attention, it’s been able to move forward on a range of issues, according to Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) on some 10 good things accomplished so far by the administration.

    • According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the economy has recovered from the slow-down and eventual recession, which started in 2014. There has been improvement with stronger growth for three successive quarters. From contracting by 0.91% in Q1 2017, the economy has grown by 0.72% in Q2 2017, to 1.17% in Q3 2017, and 2.11% in Q4 2017.
    • The Q1 2018 GDP shows that the economy has recorded a GDP growth of 1.95%, compared to a contraction of 0.91% in Q1 2017.
    • The growth is driven by Agriculture and Industry, which shows that finally, after more than 50 years of lip service, the Nigerian economy is on the road to diversification. The oil sector’s contribution to GDP is 9.61%, while non-oil sector’s share is 90.39%.
    • One of the factors responsible for the positive performance of the economy in Q1 2018 was the spending of about N1.5 trillion on infrastructure projects in 2017.
    • For the past 15 months, inflation has declined consistently from 18.72% to 12.48%. The country is steadily on the road to single digit inflation rate.
    • The first quarter of 2018 saw a continuous growth in total capital importation into the country, the fourth consecutive quarterly increase since Q2 2017. The total value of capital imported is $6,303.63 million, a 17.11% growth over the figure reported in the previous quarter.
    • Foreign reserves stand at $47.79 billion, compared to $29.6 billion inherited in May 2015, after about six years boom in oil prices in the international market. The increase came at a time of modest oil prices, showing transparency and accountability by government.
    • Nigeria’s Stock Market ended 2017 as one of the best-performing in the world, with returns of about 40 percent.
    • Tax revenue increased to N1.17 trillion, in Q1 2018, a 51% increase on the Q1 2017 figure.
    • Milled rice production has increased from 2.5MT to 4MT, and rice imports have dropped from 580,000MT in 2015 to 58,000MT in 2016. Millions of dollars have been saved.

    These are just little among the good things happening to the Nigerian economy. Only the wilfully blind will not see it, but it does not stop the good work, which continues.

    On exiting recession last year, President Muhammadu Buhari had said he would not consider the job done, until the ordinary man feels the impact of the rebounding economy on his life and pocket. We are inexorably on that road, no matter what scoffers may say.

     

  • Bayelsa not getting its due from NDDC – Group

    …Meddlers behind the allegation – NDDC

     

    A group, the Bayelsa Patriotic Watch (BPW) , has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to beam searchlight on projects awarded by the Nsima Ekere-led board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in the state.

    The group said undue interference by the board and its Managing Director in projects for the state are affecting their deliveries and performance.

    But an aide to the NDDC MD debunked the allegation, accusing “political jobbers and mischief makers” who are not getting easy money as they were used to for the attack.

    The BPW alleged that contracts meant for the state were being awarded to non-indigenes and those who can further the political ambition of some of the NDDC leaders.

    These were contained in a statement signed by BPW President and Secretary-General, Chief Fyneface Tari and Hon Suoyo Ebi, respectively.

    The MD’s aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “We are used to such baseless accusation by people who are used to getting free money.

    Read Also: Court orders forfeiture of NDDC director’s N800m Lekki property

    “As soon as the free money stopped, they are resulting to blackmail and mudslinging because the MD is not prepared to sacrifice the commission for their personal gains”.

    But BPW leaders insisted, “Our organization is a collegiate of recognized youths leaders and stakeholders in the protection of and prospecting for greater Bayelsa state and Ijaw interest in the NDDC.

    “We are constrained to draw the attention of the general public and indeed the Presidency to the cross purposes and selfish pursuit of the NDDC, especially the MD’s neck-deep pursuit of 2019 governorship ambition back in his home state of Akwa-Ibom.”

    The group said the alleged ambition is distracting the MD from focusing on the development of the region, particularly on their state.

    “We are alarmed that Mr. Ekere-led board is still desperately awarding juicy contracts meant for Bayelsa people to his cronies and supporters of his gubernatorial ambition in Akwa Ibom state, thereby robbing Peter to pay Paul.

    “Key life touching projects of NDDC that had been blatantly abandoned by Nsima-led NDDC include the Opu/Nembe sand filled Road; the Shoreline Protection Project in Kaiama, Kolokuma-Opukuma LGA.”

    They lamented that the board had refused to revisit the project, but instead allegedly “diverted resources and opportunities mean for such projects for personal ambitions.

  • FG hands over N3.85bn Esan Water Project to Edo Govt

    President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government has handed over to the Edo State Government, the completed Northern Esan Water Project, in Ugboha, Esan South East Local government area of the state.

    The project estimated to have cost N3.85 billion, can generate two million gallons or nine million liters of water per day.

    Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, who led a Federal Government delegation, which included Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to the state, said the delegation was in the state to hand over completed projects to the Edo State government.

    Engr. Suleiman said he participated in the conception of the project in 1997, when he worked as a consultant to the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), which was then led by current President, Muhammadu Buhari. He noted that lack of fund stalled the project, until it was revived by the present administration.

    “We have finished our intervention programme and we are here today to hand over the project to the Edo State Government led by Governor Godwin Obaseki”.

    He expressed satisfaction and confidence in the quality of job done and hoped that the agencies in charge of the scheme would do a good job to ensure its sustainability.

    Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki expressed gratitude to the President Buhari-led administration for the uncommon gesture to the people of the state and Esan land, in particular.

    Read Also:Second Niger Bridge main project to gulp N210 billion

    He explained that access to potable water was a major challenge in Esan land and thanked the President for coming to the aid of the people, promising that his administration will do all it can to ensure the project benefits the people.

    “I want to assure you that as a progressive government, we align with the water policies of the Federal Government. We have been following your policy guideline to strengthen water reforms in Edo State,” the governor said.

    Obaseki disclosed that a bill to set up small town and rural water projects in the state has been passed by the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), noting that the state government has trained communities to set up their own water associations.

    He added that his administration is restructuring its urban water board. “I want to assure you that this scheme will be sustained. This is part of our plan to ensure water in all parts of Esan land.”

    The governor said his administration is working with the Niger Delta support programme, supported by the European Union (EU) to provide water, adding “We have paid 700 million naira as our counterpart fund and the EU is providing about two to three billion. We expect that all these investments will provide water in Esan land and other parts of the state.”

  • 2019: Women seek Vice President’s seat

    Some Nigerian Women on Friday pushed for the seat of Vice President of Nigeria to be reserved for women in subsequent elections in the country.

    Women, under the platform of the Nigerian Female Parliamentarians made the demand when they paid a courtesy call on President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Speaking on behalf of the delegation, which comprises of elected lawmakers from the nation’s 36 states, Elizabeth Ativie said Nigerian Women are being marginalized by their male counterparts.

    She said the country only had one principal officer in each of the two chambers of the National Assembly since the return to democracy in 1999.

    She also said that as the President, anything he said at the gathering “will become policy and subsequently law”.

    Read Also:Former Vice President Atiku ‘s son remanded

    She said “Whenever the president is a man, the Vice President should be a woman”.

    Mrs. Ativie also said for every three senatorial seats in the states, one should be a woman.

    She said “Where there are nine House of Reps members, the men should take six and leave three for women”.

    Responding, President Buhari jokingly said “it is a pity that the Vice President is not here, but I am sure the Secretary to the Government of the Federation will brief him that his position is threatened “.

    He however appreciated the support given to him by women generally in the four times he ran for president.

    He recalled reports he received during elections in which women in labour queue to vote for him.

    He asked the delegation to take a message to their colleagues to extend the same support since he has declared to seek for second term.

    On their request, the president simply told the gathering that he is not “as powerful as you think”.

    He said such requests could only be made by a military head of state, but, he has today dropped the uniform for “agbada”.

     

     

  • Govt, private sector partner to end fish import

    The Federal Government will help the fisheries sector to recover its competitiveness and reduce import, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

    To this end, efforts are being made to put the right policies and enabling environment for private sector to thrive.

    Speaking during the inauguration of two fishing vessels acquired by Atlantic Shrimpers Limited, in Lagos, Buhari expressed concerns that the nation’s  yearly fish demands stood at 3.5 million tons; of which Nigeria produced 1.1 million tons from aquaculture, artisanal and industrial sectors, including shrimps, leaving a deficit of about 2.4 million tons to importation.

    “Our ultimate goal is to attain self-sufficiency in fish and aquaculture production. To this regard, my ministry is not only striving to create an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and fill in the missing gap but we have in addition ensured that all fishing and fisheries regulations, especially within the marine environment are enforced,’’ the minister said.

    Buhari expressed joy that industrial fishing companies, under the auspices of Nigeria Trawlers Association of Nigeria (NITOA), were collaborating with the government to ensure best practices in the exploitation of marine resources.

    He said the  ministry had elaborated on the Inland Fisheries Regulation for aquaculture policy, including shrimps, to encourage investment and facilitate the promotion of fish and shrimp culture for local consumption and export.

    Represented the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the president said the government places emphasis on the fisheries and aquaculture sub-sector because it is key to the agricultural sector and contributes about 4.5 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    He noted that the fisheries and aquaculture sub-sector’s contributions were significant to food security, employment creation, income generation, poverty alleviation, foreign exchange earnings, and the provision of raw materials for the food and animal feed industry.

    Buhari explained that the vision of the  administration is to grow the sector to achieve a hunger-free country through agriculture.

    The president noted that the two ultra-modern fishing vessels by Atlantic Shrimpers Limited were in addition to the 70 vessels owned by the company, making it the highest number of fishing fleets and vessels in the industry.

    “The Ministry is also opening up the Deep Sea/Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for exploitation of her Tuna resources by issuing Letters of Assurances to companies to bring in deep sea vessels into the country. Nigeria has joined the International Committee for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). This is the only option open to us in terms of seafood security of the nation as we allow the inshore waters to rejuvenate back from the past fishing pressure.

    “In addition, we are embarking on backward integration through commercial aquaculture (pond and cage culture) for local consumption and export to international markets. In this regard, I wish to mention that several companies have complied with the ministry’s directive on the backward integration policy, including the Atlantic Shrimpers Limited, Triton Aqua Africa, Premium Aquaculture, Tilapia Developers Association of Nigeria (TADAN), just to mention but a few,” he added.