Sierra Leone News: Nigeria Inspires Sierra Leone on Aquaculture
Friday July 26, 2019, marked the end of Seawright Mining Company (SMC) tour to Nigeria. The tour which comprises of 16 people is part of the company’s drive to get first-hand information about aquaculture. The team left Sierra Leone on Sunday July 2, as a follow up to their previous visit in Ghana.
The sixteen man delegate with funding from Seawright Mining Company comprises of staff of SMC, Parliamentarians, Ministries representatives, Lecturers and Students and the media.
SMC, currently on exploration stage for Diamond and Gold, has been in operation for over 6 years now. The company believes in giving back to communities as its corporate social responsibility.
In his overview speech, SMC Chief Operation Officer, Jabulani Mkoko pointed out that the idea for the tour was for them to try to understand the aquaculture as it is practice in Nigeria.
Nigeria has a very good history of catfish farming which is why they find it appropriate to learn from their experiences so that by the end of the day they will be able to put together a model that will work well for Sierra Leone.
“The most important thing I have seen on this tour is where the University of Ibadan showcases a whole value chain from the harvesting of eggs, right up to the fingerlings stage. It is a process where one needs to know and understand before venture into catfish farming.”
He also pointed out that the University has gone a step further trying to introduce a process of feed production. “We understand that without a proper supply of feed and fingerlings, the whole project can’t take off. This has been an eye opener for us to show that with the right attitude and right support anything is possible.”
He said he won’t see feed as a challenge, from what they have seen the host country are using as local ingredient which he said is the same situation they saw in Ghana although there are big number of players that manufacture their feed from exported stuffs.
The COO said that he don’t see feed as a challenge, as there are number of players in the production. He emphasized that, despite the number of people offering the feed, one has to make sure the quality of feed is of appropriate standard and good quality.
He said after the tour, the company will sit with other stakeholders such as the government and Njala University to come up with their own model that will create a win-win situation for everybody.
Aquaculture, which is a component of fish farming, is the first to be undertaken by a private owned Sierra Leone company.
The entire delegation described the tour as a laudable and very excited one. The delegation comprises of Seawright Mining Team, Parliamentarians, Agriculture Ministry, Fisheries, the Media, Lecturers and Students from Njala University.
The delegates visited the University of Ibadan, Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Adekoya and Sons Farm in EPE Lagos State, Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries Department, among others. The last day of the tour, the team visited the Kingdom Aquarium in Ikotun Egbe, Lagos where they sells aqua equipment, gear, drugs, aquarium, among others.
Head of Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Management, Njala University, Dr. Olufemi Olapade; Hon. Tom Issic Tucker of Constituency 022 Kono District; Hon Alice, vice chairperson Marine and Fisheries Committee in Parliament; Lecturer of Njala University attached to the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Dr. Mathew D. Kpundeh; and Mustapha Sly Bayon of the Research Scientist Freetown Fisheries Research Centre, (SLARI) were members of the team who made manful contributions.
