Our fish going bad as poor roads cut off markets, Anambra community cries out
Community leaders at Umuoba Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State have raised the alarm over increasing rates of fish perishing, following deplorable roads leading to markets
- From Elekwachi Chinedum, Onitsha
Community leaders at Umuoba Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State have raised the alarm over increasing rates of fish perishing, following deplorable roads leading to markets in the area.
Speaking at Isaa, Iwelle and Iwalaa fishing lakes of Umuoba Anam, Chairman, Mmevo Ruling Council of Umuoba Anam, Chief Sunday Nduba, lamented that his people were forced to dry the fishes instead of selling them while still fresh.
He implored Governor Chukwuma Soludo to build access road to their fishing lakes to help them evacuate fish during fishing festivals.
‘’I am so sad that all these fishes do not get to the market in time before they spoil. The road to this place is bad. Vehicles cannot come here to carry our fishes.
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“It is only motorcycles and bicycles that can reach here and they cannot carry enough fish. We are forced to dry them instead of selling them at the market when they are still fresh,” Nduba said.
“We are appealing to the governor to build access road from Iyiora Anam to Isaa, Iwelle and Iwalaa fishing lakes so we can easily transport the fishes our people catch here.
“The fishes we catch here are much bigger than the ones caught during Argungu Fishing Festival in Kebbi State.
“If the government can provide good road, solar light and pipe borne water, this place will beat Argungu and become a tourist attraction in the state,” he said.
Secretary of the council, Chief Ignatius Obadiegwu, called on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to join hands with the state government to make the fishing lakes tourist sites.
“We call on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to come and see how this place should be developed to generate revenue for the government and become a tourist site because we catch a lot of fishes here,” he said.
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President of Umuoba Anam Youth Council, Mr Onyebuchi Mmeh, praised Governor Soludo for his good work in Anambra State and urged him to develop the areas surrounding the fishing lakes.
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“We the youth of Umuoba Anam are appealing to our governor to extend his good work to this area in terms of good roads, solar lights and pipe-borne water,” he said.
Another member of the council, Chief Chukwudi Nwakonuche, complained of security threats fishermen faced in the community, especially at night.
“Darkness is a serious security threat to the fishermen in this place. We need solar lights so that at night we will know those that come for fishing and those that come to attack us.
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“We also run risk of snake bite here at night, but with solar lights we can see roads and avoid snakes,” he said.
A fisherman, Mr Ignatius Nnekwe, identified types of fishes killed at the fishing lakes as okpo, egbili, ikele, obo, asa, ikpokpo, ipete and all sorts of fish in large quantities.
“But our problem is bad road. Before we reach the market to sell them, many of them would have spoilt. So we need help from the government,” he said.
