The Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN) has called for the proper implementation of the 2024 budget to ensure enhanced sector growth.

The CAFAN national president, Sunday Onoja, made the call in an interview on Thursday in Lagos.

Mr Onoja, who expressed optimism about the sector’s growth in 2024, urged the relevant agencies and departments in charge of budget implementation to live up to expectations.

“We have hopes for the sector in 2024, as regards the provisions of the budget for the aquaculture sector,” Mr Onoja. “It is one thing to make provisions in the budget for a sector, and it is another thing for the implementation to achieve the goals of the government.”

“We want to believe that those saddled with the responsibility for implementing the budget in the aquaculture sector will do it adequately,” he explained. “The president and minister cannot go everywhere to enforce the right implementation of the budget, and that is why we have agencies and departments.”

Mr Onoja added, “We pray that the heads of the department of fisheries and aquaculture ensure the budget is utilised for increased fish in 2024 by working with the stakeholders.”

Mr Onoja also reiterated the importance of the agencies working with stakeholders in the sector to ensure increased productivity.

“We are the stakeholders, and since being in office hardly have we seen government agencies work with us for the implementation of the budget. This year, fisheries and aquaculture stakeholders should be involved to make boosting the sector’s growth a reality. We hope this becomes a new trend in 2024.

“We also call for interventions from the government, we have not received any of the palliatives promised by the government to the sector. However, we are not giving up and hope that we will receive some soon.

“As it is now, we have not received any palliatives in form of feeds or fish from the government. We hope for a better 2024 if the implementation of the government’s policies is carried out effectively,” Mr Onoja said.

(NAN)