RUNDU – Residents of Rundu now have a new fish shop that will cater for their needs for fish from the sea.
The Namibia Fish Consumption Promotion Trust (NFCPT) upgraded the container it used to sell the fish from at the Rundu open market to a permanent structure.
The NFCPT shop was opened on Saturday at Rundu in Marcus Siwarongo Street by the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Bernhard Esau.
Speaking at the occasion, Esau commended the NFCPT for their hard work to ensure all Namibians get fish throughout the country, saying the trust is a fine example of what could be achieved when there is focus and dedication.
“Their mandate is always top of mind and they stand up to very fine scrutiny in everything they do. The inauguration of the new shop in Rundu is just an example of how bringing fish to the nation is a motivator and driving force for this organisation,” said the fisheries minister.
He added that the management of the resources of the trust is such that government has never had to come to their rescue financially.
“On the contrary, this outlet is fully financed with trust money and for that they must be admired and congratulated,” Esau said.
He said the trust is living up to its mandate which is “to promote the consumption of fish throughout the country and ensure that promotion of fish consumption goes hand in hand with imparting of skills on how to prepare different fish dishes.”
He urged staff at the fish shop to take good care of the facility as well as keep it clean and in good condition as a place where food is sold.
Speaking at the same occasion on behalf of the Kavango East Governor, the Chairperson of the Kavango Regional Council, Bonifatius Wakudumo, applauded the trust for finally opening a fully packed fish shop in Rundu as it will benefit the community and thus urged the recipients being the people of Kavango East to take good care of the shop.
“When you all live here, you must go and spread the good news so that people can come buy fish. Now that we have the fish shop opened we should all cherish it and take good care of it not to make the walls dirty or break the windows.”
Previously the NFCPT used to operate from the small container at the Rundu open market, where people would flock in the early morning to queue up and hope to buy fish as it was always sold out due to little storage space.
The trust currently has six trucks that transport fish daily to to various parts of the country to be distributed through shops that are located countrywide, including Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Ongwediva, Windhoek, Keetmanshoop, Lüderitz, Rundu, Gobabis, Eenhana, Outapi, Opuwo and Ondangwa.
According to the chairperson of the NFCPT Board of Trustees, Katrina Sikeni, NFCPT distributes and sells 6 500 tons of fish per year in Namibia compared to 500 tons in 2001.