As part of efforts to help contain the spread of the Corona virus, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) with support from the European Union has begun the first of several distributions of assorted hygiene materials to fishing communities in West Point Township – one of the many coastal communities in Montserrado County. The materials will be distributed in fishing communities situated in Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount and Margibi Counties, respectively.
The items put at the cost of forty-nine thousand United States dollars, include NaFAA/EU customized large drums with foot-stand faucets, small rubber buckets with faucets, nose masks, cholera, powder soap, and sanitizers. NaFAA is also distributing flyers as part of efforts in sensitizing coastal residents about the danger of the Corona virus in the country. The initiative is being supported through the European Union Sectorial Support funding to Liberia.
Speaking during the official launch of the exercise in West Point Tuesday, NaFAA’s Deputy Director-General for Administration, Augustine Monoballah urged fishers and fish mongers in the country to remain more resilient in the fight against COVID-19.
Even though government has taken concrete steps in the containment of the pandemic, evidenced by the recoveries of people affected by the virus, Mr. Monoballah said recent statistics by the National Public Health Institute of Liberia, shows COVID-19 is still here. Deputy Director-General Monoballah recalled the support of the European Union to the fisheries sector, naming the EU as a major partner to Liberia’s development drive in many fronts.
The occasion was graced by local government officials, fishermen, fishmongers and residents.
Speaking earlier, the commissioner of the township of West Point, William Wea, lauded the effort of NaFAA for the initiative, describing the intervention as timely. The president of the Core Management Association (the liaison between NaFAA and the fishing community). NyanteeSleh, admonished residents to take ownership of the items given them.
In May 2017, under former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the European Union (EU) issued Liberia a yellow card, identifying it as not being cooperative in the fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. In recent years, the Government of Liberia (GoL) and the EU have been working behind the scenes in hopes of removing the yellow card.
EU and Liberia have a Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) which established the principles, rules and procedures governing the conditions under which Union vessels may engage in fishing activities in Liberian fishing zone, economic, financial, technical and scientific cooperation in the fisheries sector with a view to promoting sustainable fishing in the country.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
