Published By Olukayode Idowu
Senator representing Borno Central, Senator Kashim Shettima has flagged off a Capacity Building and Empowerment Programme (CABEP) for about 1,800 vulnerable women and youths in the troubled state.
Many families in Borno State has been traumatized by the 12 years old Boko Haram crisis, which has left many residents of the North East state impoverished and vulnerable.
The training and empowerment scheme, sponsored by Senator Kashim Shettima, a former governor of Borno State and presently representing Borno Central in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, would be in batches starting with a 2-day workshop for 300 beneficiaries in Fish Production/Processing at Forshams Social Centre in Maiduguri.
In his opening remarks, Shettima said Borno is one of the leading states in fish production and processing, but due to the activities of Boko Haram, a lot of fish farmers were forcefully pushed out of the business.
He noted that apart from income to be generated in fish production, processing also generates a huge amount of raw materials as waste (45%-55%), such as the skin, scalp, visceral mass, head, fins and its filleting frame are of value.
He revealed that resource persons were drawn from National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research, NIFFR, in which, each participant will be given adequate knowledge and skills in fish production and processing, even as he said, starter packs, as well as some cash, would be disbursed to kick start business and make trainees become economically self-reliant.
The Senator, who was represented at the by the Executive Chairman of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, MMC, Hon Ali Bolori, at the launch of the programme in Maiduguri, informed the gathering that: “The beneficiaries were drawn from the eight (8) local government areas of Borno Central senatorial district.”
He said. “Presently, 300 persons comprised of mostly women and youths would benefit in the first batch, while 1,500 others would be trained and empowered in the next batches.
“The gesture would definitely assist in the stabilization process of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, as peace return to the liberated communities.”
He revealed that the participants would undergo various types of fish preservation techniques which include; salting/smoking, smoke drying, frying and sun-drying among others.
He said. “This is a welcome initiative and we cherished the gesture. We urge all of you (beneficiaries) to make good use of the knowledge gained and the opportunity to become self-reliant.”
One of the resource persons, Mr Daniel Katunkus, who spoke to journalists, said the senator sponsored the programme, in view of the high rate of unemployment, poverty and hunger associated with the lingering Boko Haram crisis.
He disclosed that at the end of the training, participants would be equipped with the knowledge, both practical, theoretical and otherwise, aside from the disbursement of cash, grains, seed sowing and other items that would be shared.
He however enjoined the participants to take the training seriously so as to impact positively on their means of livelihood as they settle and pick up the pieces of their life.