By Fatima Muraina

First Moreys Services Ltd, a private organisation, has been mandated by the Ondo State Government to collect revenue from fishing activities taking place in the coastal areas of the state.

The state government engaged the services of the organisation through the State Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to boost the state’s IGR.

Speaking at a roundtable stakeholders’ consultative meeting with artisanal fishermen and licensed/industrial fishing trawlers, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, High Chief Olayato Aribo, stated that the blue economy is massive and rich, and its resources must be harnessed for the betterment of the people of the state.

In a press statement issued by the Head of Publicity and Media Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Sola Omoboyowa, Aribo emphasised the need for government collaboration with the fishermen to benefit from the sea, which he described as God’s gift to humanity and the state.

According to the Commissioner, this collaboration would prevent the smuggling of aquatic resources out of the state.

The Commissioner, therefore, solicited the cooperation of all stakeholders in the fishing trade to collaborate with the government to build a viable economy.

“God has blessed the state with the necessary resources and an environment suitable for agriculture, both on land and waterways, for optimal use for the benefit of the people of the state,” he affirmed.

In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Agriculture Subsector of the Ministry, Mrs Foluke Tunde-Daramola, said the meeting was called to dialogue with stakeholders in the fishing industry on ways to harness the resources available in the sea.

She added that all fishermen would be registered and licensed so that the government could engage with them through the Ministry for proper regulation and cooperation.

Tunde-Daramola emphasised the importance of this registration, stating that it would benefit the government in generating revenue while also empowering and supporting the fishermen to boost their trade.