The amnesty progrmame of the federal government has failed to support the fishing trawlers. According to the fishing trawling sub-sector of the Nigerian economy there has been an upsurge in attacks of fishing vessels. President of the Nigerian Fishing Trawlers Association (NITOA), Mrs Margaret Orakwusi said that immediately the government concluded the amnesty plan, there was a reduction in the attacks on fishing trawlers.
She informed that the amnesty programme seemed to have failed as members of NITOA have experienced an upsurge in the attacks on their fishing boats. She told that recent rise in the attacks of its members’ vessels began in November last year, adding that this has also resulted in the death of crewmen and damage to their boats. She opined that if the government does not take immediate measure to protect the lives and properties of its members, the entire fishing industry in Nigeria might go under permanently.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Temisan Omatseye has said that the attacks on Nigerian fishing vessels are master-minded by foreigners who want to run Nigerians out of the business. He states that the government is very much aware of what is happening in the sector, adding that it is doing everything possible to checkmate these attacks.
