Reps to probe issuance of fish importation licences

Henry Omunu, Abuja

The House of Representatives on Tuesday resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate all licences granted to fish importers within the last one year by the Federal Government.

This resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Gaza (PDP/Nasarawa), who called for the probe into the recent issuance of licences for fish imports into the Nigeria.

Rep. Gaza moving the motion, stated that in the last few years, Nigeria had gone through a recession and had recovered largely due to the diversification of the nation’s economy, especially by promoting agriculture.

He said that fishery was an important sub-sector of country’s agriculture sector with the abundant rivers like Benue, Niger, Ogun, Osun and lakes like Kainji, not mentioning other dams and ponds located in parts of the nation.

According to him, fishery has also attracted an increase in the number of fish farmers using the latest technology which has led to an increase in fish production and employment.

Gaza recalled that before now, the minister of state for agriculture held a meeting with the ljebu Initiative on Poverty Reduction (IDIPR) in Abuja, sometime in Aug. 2017 and during the meeting, the minister announced plans by the federal government to stop issuing fish import quota to importers, saying the practice was no longer sustainable.

He said that calls have been made in various quarters, including by the National Assembly to ban the importation of fish into the country as it had a negative effect on the nation’s economy.

Also, the House member said it was virtually impossible to ascertain the health status of fish imported into the country and expressed worry that even with the federal government’s pronouncement to ban fish imports to encourage local farmers, licenses were still been given to importers.

According to him, these importers have turned Nigeria into a dumping ground for all manner of fish, warning that if this trend continues, the gains that had been recorded by local fish farmers and jobs created will be lost.

“Fish importation is not sustainable and if the federal government does not urgently look into the matter and rescind its policy on the issuance of licences for fish importation, it will continue to bring about backward integration in the nation with people not being able to set up fish farms or employ people and create jobs,” he said.

Contributing to the motion, the Deputy Speaker, Yusuff Lasun, said that it was imperative for Nigeria to be able to export the nation’s agricultural produce in order to generate foreign exchange.

According to him, government policies should be directed towards this and encourage local food production. Also in his contribution, Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas (APC/Adamawa), said that issuing of licences for fish import should be reduced to boost local production.

“As we did on the issue of rice by encouraging local production, we should also reduce issuing of a licences to increase local production,” he added.

The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by Speaker Yakubu Dogara. The House therefore, requested the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Bank of Agriculture to provide incentives to local fish farmers to help boost production.

It thereafter, mandated that an ad hoc committee be set up to carry out the investigation within two weeks and report back to the House for further legislative action.