Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State has directed the state Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and other relevant organizations to rehabilitate all the facilities at the sites of the state fishing festival.
The governor made the directive during the opening ceremony of the 38th Bade Fishing and Cultural Festival at Mauyi-Ganga Riverside in Gogaram town of Jakusko local government area of the state.
Mr Buni noted that that one of the effective ways of improving on the state’s economy is to sustain the the festival and build on it for many years to come.
According to him, Bade festival is a culture Yobe people are so very proud of.
He said: “Despite the break in holding the Festival for many years, today’s event is really significant because it connects and brings people together in the fullest expression of cultural splendour and art forms.
“The Bade Cultural and Fishing Festival is a glorious art form that not only brings people together but help raise the profile of our state as a tourism destination. It is a culture we are so very proud of.
“Our state is blessed with many river channels that are the sources of varieties of fish in commercial quantities. And fish is now a sought-after healthy source of protein that many people are turning to.
“I believe the government and people of Yobe State have a greater chance to increase revenue flows both at the public and individual levels if we continue to improve the culture and business of catching, processing and selling of fish across the country,”
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Mr Buni further disclosed that a steering committee would soon be appointed to ensure the implementation of the recommendations of the Technical Committee for revenue generation in the state.
“We would ensure that we enhance aggregate production in crop farming, livestock farming, irrigation activities, and fisheries in order to help put our people on the path to self-reliance and wealth creation.
“Our objective of setting up the committee was to explore ways to bring agriculture back on the front burner in our state and fully tap from all its potential.
“As our fish sector is part of our larger agricultural sector, I would like to state here that we have received the report of the Technical Committee on the Revitalization of Agriculture that we set up,” the governor noted.
The governor, however, called on all participants to be fair to one another in the contests, adding that the contestants must remember that in every competition there must be winners and losers.
“Everyone should therefore accept the outcomes in the spirit of sportsmanship.
“I want to appeal to our people to continue to pray for the return and sustenance of peace in our state, in the North-East sub-region and other parts of the country.
“I also ask all of you to continue to implore Almighty Allah to endow us with bumper harvests in the forthcoming and subsequent cropping seasons,” Mr Buni added.
