FCTA to construct fish ponds, others in Abuja schools

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has disclosed plan to construct fish ponds and other skill acquisition projects in at least one secondary school in each of the six area councils in the territory within the next one year.

Speaking when he commissioned a fish pond located in Junior Secondary School, Area II, Garki-Abuja, Secretary, Agricultural and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS), Hon. Stanley Ifeanyichukwu Nzekwe, explained that the project is in line with the present administration’s policy to encourage agricultural activities in schools.

Nzekwe stated that the main objective of the fish pond was to catch them young, by training and teaching the right skills to young school children, so that they grow up to love agriculture.

He maintained that the young ones must be taught to understand that through agriculture, one can own a car and good houses, adding that modern fish farming business has gone nuclear that improved fingerlings which mature early can turn into millions of fishes for consumption.

The secretary noted that fisheries subsector has proved to be a high employer of labour, while processed fish today, is of high demand, adding that with the facility, students will be exposed to the technicalities in fish farming, which will ultimately help in their future endeavour.

His words: “Since the objective of this project is to catch them young, it cannot end with this school in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

By the grace of God, before this time next year, we would have succeeded in having this project in at least in one school in each of the remaining five area councils. But it will not be only fishing. We are going to diversify, depending on the comparative advantage of the areas.”

Earlier in her welcome address, principal of the school, Jimoh Hadiqat Iyabo, had explained that the fish pond project of the school is a ‘Catch Them Young’ strategy to diversify and occupy the minds of our young generation to establish the interest by indulging in positive activities.

Iyabo noted that the project will go a long way to giving the students and the immediate community a new phase of life for a better tomorrow.