Ongwediva
The Namibian Fish Consumption Promotional Trust (NFCPT) has raised over N$714 000 to be used for the education of children at schools in rural areas.
The money was raised during a gala dinner held at Ongwediva Fish Consumption Hall on Friday.
Two fishing companies, Sea Flower and Omwaalu Fishing Company, pledged the biggest amounts by promising to donate N$195 000 and N$165 000, respectively.
Selected schools in the rural areas in Oshana Region will be asked to identify their needs and the funds raised will then be used to meet the identified needs.
The gala dinner was held prior to the National Fish Consumption Day that took place on Saturday.
In his keynote address, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Bernhard Esau said Namibia is ranked among a few countries in the world where fisheries and marine resources are well managed and well distributed among its citizens.
He said the country’s status has also been elevated from being a country that consumes the least fish to being among the countries where fish is consumed the most.
He thus praised his ministry and the NFCPT for a good cooperation and for ensuring that all citizens have access to fish.
“This collaborative partnership yields much better access [to fish products], as it is through engagement that we achieve our targets,” he said.
“In particular, the [fisheries] ministry has been a recipient on behalf of the Namibian citizens of donations of fishing produce in light of the current drought faced by our country… We could only have reached out to our destitute through collaborative partnerships with all the stakeholders,” said Esau.
The event was also attended by Governor of Oshana Region Clemence Kashuupulwa, who called on NFCPT to consider opening fish shops in every constituency.
Kashuupulwa said because of the vast distances people in the remote areas of some constituencies do not have access to fish.
Esau and Kashuulwa also demonstrated to a large number of community members who turned up for the event on Saturday how to prepare horse mackerel. Horse mackerel, also known as a maasbanker, is considered Namibia’s national fish. Next year’s Namibia Fish Consumption Day celebrations are slated to take place in the Kavango West Region.