-Assures Fishermen and Fishmongers of President Weah’s continuous support additional 300 pieces of lifejacket
The Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) has completed the tour of three of the four coastal counties in southeastern Liberia following fruitful discussions with county authorities, including superintendents, city mayors, traditional chiefs, fishing chiefs, fishermen, fishmongers (fish processors/fish sellers) and fisheries cooperatives.
Counties visited include Maryland, Grand Kru, and Sinoe. Fishing communities that were visited in those counties were Hoffman station, Fish Town, Kru and Fanti and kru beaches and cavalla all located in Maryland county. Those visited in Grand Kru were Grandcess and Sass Town. For Sinoe County the fishing community visited was Seedbeh. Some other fishing communities were noted visited but fishing men and fishmongers in those communities formed part of various town hall discussions that were held.
Sinoe County
Sunday, May 7, 2023, the Director General of NaFAA disclosed in Greenville, Sinoe County to the fisheries cooperatives they that will receive additional outboard engines if they decide to put aside the usage of peddling canoes on the sea. At the same time, Madam Emma Metieh Glasscp also promised additional 300 lifejackets to fishermen in Sinoe.
Madam Glassco made the statement when the Fisheries cooperative chairmen assured NaFAA that they have been utilizing the first badge of outboard engines provided by President George Weah since 2020. Speaking also to fishmongers of Sinoe she mentioned that NaFAA will provide them cold storage facility through its budget.
“This government of President Weah has come with real change in the lives of fishermen”
Madam Glassco’s statement was prompted by a disclosure from the Chairman of the Seabeh fisheries cooperative Christian N Young that they are fully utilizing the previous outboard engines provided by President Weah.
There are a total of six cooperatives established in Sinoe County. They include Seebeh, Butaw fishing cooperative, Sanquin fishing cooperative, Greenville fishing cooperative, Settra Kru fishing cooperative and Dugbe fishing cooperative.
Grand Kru County
On Friday, May 5, 2023, the Director General of NaFAA assured fishermen and fishmongers in Grand Cess that she will work closely with FAO of the United Nations for the completion of a cold storage facility in the fishing Community.
At the start of her tour across fishing communities in Grand Kru County, Madam Emma Metieh Glassco is encouraging all fishermen and FishMongers to form part of existing Cooperatives in order to benefit from the government’s numerous assistances.
Still, in Grand Kru, in the home of President Weah, DG Glassco pointed out that NaFAA will provide a power Saw machine to enable the Cooperatives there cut trees to carve canoes to enhance their operation across fishing communities.
Madam Glassco added that NaFAA is working with FAO for the construction of a cold storage facility
at the cost of 3.1 million USD which was made available by the Japanese government to construct cold storages across fishing communities in Liberia.
She also mentions that at the end of 2023, NaFAA will provide a consignment of lines and hooks for local fishermen across Liberia.
Maryland county
While in Maryland County the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) on May 4, 2023, signed a resolution with the people of Maryland for the construction of a modern fish landing cluster in Harper City, the third biggest fishing community in Liberia.
Among other things, it’s agreed by both parties that NaFAA shall receive five (5) acres of land at the Hoffman station landing site for the construction of the fish landing cluster that would include a jetty, post-harvest facilities, fish market, marine store, clinic and a primary school.
It’s also agreed that the modern landing cluster when completed will be the only landing site for all Kru and Fanti canoes including migrant fishing canoes in Maryland.
A little over 3 million United States dollars has been secured from the World Bank for this project.
“President Weah Will Always Support Fishermen and FishMongers”
In more news from Maryland County, the Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) has assured fishermen and Fishmongers (Fish Processors/Sellers) in the county that President George Manneh Weah remains supportive of them in an effort to improve their livelihoods.
Speaking upon the arrival of her fisheries delegation in Harper City Maryland counties at the start of four coastal counties tour, at one of the several interactive engagements with Fishermen and Fishmongers, Madam Emma Metieh Glassco mentioned that President Weah support for the Fisheries sector remains unending.
“President Weah will continue to empower local fishermen and fishmongers across the nine coastal counties in Liberia”.
At a huge gathering held at Harper City Hall, Madam Glassco said that President Weah pledged his administration’s relentless support to the sector so as to adequately enhance the capacity of both the fishmongers and fishermen to increase their net income.
She added that it is President George Manneh Weah’s vision to transform Liberia into an industrial fishing nation. Madam Glassco added, to ensure that his vision becomes a reality, Liberia has secured US$60 million from the World Bank for the overall development of the fisheries sector.
DG Glassco explained that a portion of the money will be used for infrastructure developments including the construction of an industrial fishing port at the Mesurado Pier on Bushrod Island, Montserrado County and also an integrated fish landing site on Popo Beach.
At the same time, she noted that as part of the infrastructure developments, there will also be constructions of integrated landing sites with other facilities including marine stores in Maryland, Grand Kru, Sinoe, Grand Bassa and Margibi counties.
She assured the fishermen, fishmongers along with their county authorities in attendance at the ceremony that the construction of these projects will hopefully commence in 2023.
Meanwhile, the local authorities in Maryland County including the superintendent, George Pratt, the City Mayor, the Sea Chiefs and fishmongers commended President George Weah for the continuous concern and support shown to those in the fisheries sector.
They noted that since the beginning of Liberian history, President George Mannah Weah CDC-led government is on record as being the first government that has shown much interest in the fisheries sector with the provision of hundreds of fishing implements including nets, outboard engines and lifejackets among others.
Meanwhile, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority has secured US$800,000 (eight hundred thousand United States dollars) as economic empowerment loan for fishmongers in the nine coastal counties of Liberia.
This was disclosed recently by NaFAA Director General, Madam Emma Metieh Glassco during a town hall meeting with members of the fishing community in Harper, Maryland County.
The NaFAA delegation will now head to Rivercess the final destination Monday and hold discussion fishing on Tuesday MAY 9, 2023 and depart on the same day to Monrovia. Press Release
