LAGOS: The Nigerian Trawler Owners Association has said its members’ N100bn businessess, which is located at the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal in Lagos, are being threatened by an eviction notice issued by the Nigerian Ports Authority.
NITOA’s Executive Secretary, Dayo Adesanya, told our correspondent that the eviction notice was served on members of the association about two weeks ago. The association was reportedly given seven days to leave the KLT.
About 100, 000 persons are said to be employed directly and another 300,000 persons, indirectly by this industry which in 2006/2006 was the fourth largest non-oil foreign exchange earner for Nigeria.
Adesanya said, “Since the notice was served, we have been in discussions with the NPA; they told us that they wanted to concession the KLT out to private investors as container terminals.
The association, which is made up of about eight industrial fishing companies, had in the past relocated from various private jetties in Apapa after the KLT Phase I and II were in 2005 designated the Lagos Fishing Terminal by the Federal Government.
Their number was reduced from 30 due to the cost of operations, which increased astronomically over time and the incessant attacks by sea pirates on fishing trawlers.
Members were said to have invested heavily in the terminals after being assured by pronouncements from various government officials over the years that the KLT I and II were dedicated fishing terminals.
Adesanya said, “I don’t know how possible it is to make KLT a container terminal. It is not as if, by design, large vessels can berth here; the depth of the channel can’t accommodate large vessels. Even for trawlers which are much smaller, we still have to dredge the channels to enable them move freely.
“This is the only dedicated fishing terminal in the country and I don’t see why it should not be allowed to stay. Other countries smaller than Nigeria, Ghana for instance have dedicated fishing terminals for industrial fishing.
He added that Nigeria’s sea products such as shrimps were greatly sought after in the international market and that what the industry needed was government intervention to facilitate its growth.
The Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, had said recently that Nigeria’s demand for fish was 2.7 million metric tonnes. Local production, which is currently being encouraged by the government, supplies about 800,000 metric tonnes annually. The deficit of 1.9 million metric tonnes is imported to make up for the short supply.
There was no response from NPA spokesperson and Assistant Manager Public Affairs, Mr. Musa Iliya. He did not respond to calls and a text message to his phone.
