Why Nigerians don’t take government officials’ claims seriously

Take fisheries for example. At the NEPAD-Fish for All Summit held on 22–25 August 2005 in Abuja, to draw global attention to the vital role of fisheries and aquaculture in meeting Africa’s development agenda, Otunba Bamidele Dada, the then Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, while addressing the Technical Workshop on New Directions […]

Take fisheries for example. At the NEPAD-Fish for All Summit held on 22–25 August 2005 in Abuja, to draw global attention to the vital role of fisheries and aquaculture in meeting Africa’s development agenda, Otunba Bamidele Dada, the then Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, while addressing the Technical Workshop on New Directions for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa, had this to say:
“The current status of fisheries in Nigeria, as in many African countries, poses serious developmental challenges. At present (2005), the total fish demand in Nigeria is about 1.5 million tons while current domestic fish production is 511 700 tons. The implication of this is that the shortfall between demand and supply is met by the importation of 680 000 tons of fish annually. (T)he Federal Government is determined to reduce the huge import bill on frozen fish, which is second only to rice in the food sector. The President has, therefore, set in motion the necessary machinery to harness the enormous potential and investment opportunities in the fisheries sub-sector. He has set up a Presidential Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture Development under my Chairmanship to discuss all aspects of fisheries development in Nigeria and to come up with blueprints for government consideration.
“The ultimate objective is to make Nigeria self-sufficient in fish production by 2007 and also to become one of the leading exporters of fish and fishery products in Africa.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria has put in place many interventions in which fisheries feature prominently. In this connection, considerable progress has been achieved with the implementation of the National Special Program for Food Security (NSPFS), which was launched … in collaboration with FAO. The NSPFS is of regional significance and the Nigerian experience has been acclaimed a model and success story in Africa. The Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries Project, as a major component of the NSPFS, is focused on the development of freshwater commercial aquaculture as well as on the culture-based, co-management of inland fisheries. I had the privilege earlier this month at Sabke Lake, Katsina State, to inaugurate a fish stocking program of major lakes, irrigation dams and reservoirs nationwide. Similarly, the private sector has risen to the challenge of Mr President to invest in modern aquaculture. Today, Nigeria has become the leading aquaculture producing country in Africa. Furthermore, Mr President is personally blazing a trail in the utilization of aquaculture to meet domestic fish demand and to target the export market. The tremendous progress recorded so far in catfish farming has proven something of a quiet revolution, which will take only a few years to flourish. However, to achieve the ultimate objective of self-sufficiency in fish production, we must embark upon the comprehensive development of a sustainable artisanal and industrial marine sector as well as inland fisheries and aquaculture.  
“Distinguished Colleagues and Delegates, the overall goal of this Summit, including the Technical Sessions and Exhibition, is to improve the contribution of fisheries and aquaculture to the food and nutrition security of over 200 million Africans and to sustain the livelihoods of about 10 million Africans actively engaged in fish production, fish processing and fish trade. This will bring about an improvement in the status of fish as a source of food and micronutrients and a leading export commodity for Africa with an estimated annual export value of about US$3 billion.
“The end result will be poverty alleviation, gainful employment generation and regional economic development’’.  
Almost 10 years on, and despite all the committees and their blueprint, we have neither attained self-sufficiency in fish production nor become a major exporter. The pictures painted keep getting rosier, but the underlying reality has not changed for the better.
In 2012, we imported approximately 900,000 metric tonnes of frozen fish, with just 5 or 6 players like Stallion, CIC, and Seafood, accounting for about 90 per cent. Since mid-2013, talks have been going on between the Directorate of Fisheries and importers about reducing imports by 25%, but nothing definite was agreed upon. Instead, for 2014, the Ministry of Agriculture has started issuing quotas for importation. For the period January to June 2014 some 180,000 MT have been allotted to various importers. The usual “big players” got 48% while 52% was allotted to a number of “local companies” comprising of importers who were earlier importing altogether less than 10 per cent, and numerous new comers, most of them getting sizable allotments even while they lack the transportation, storage and financial capacities. No clarity is there as to on what basis these quantities have been calculated. The total quantity allotted is much lower than the actual market requirements and, if not rectified at the earliest, would result in serious social and economic crises in the election year. Furthermore, because these new allottees are busy offering their quotas for sale to those with sufficient cold storage/financial capacity, prices have gone up by about 50 per cent in just a few months.
It is time for the ministry, in co-ordination with the major stakeholders, to sit together and introduce a phased import reduction programme, combined with local backward integration, financial support and emphasis on increased domestic production.
According to the ministry’s publication “Action Plan for Aquaculture”, demand for fish in the year 2015 is expected to be around 2,175,000 MT, whereas local production will be about 730,250 MT, thus leaving a shortfall of over 1.4 million MT, which is rather alarming, and requires an earliest positive plan of action. I shall not go into the politics behind the import licence policy of frozen fish but just to add that this is a good example of failing to deliver on promises and empowering groups who cannot deliver, and yet continuing to blame the victims for not appreciating the ‘’good’’ work being carried out. Reminds you of the millions that have been sunk into cassava bread nobody wants to eat?