The member representing Warri Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi has reassured his constituents of educational development as the bill he sponsored for the establishment of a federal institute of fisheries research in Ogidigben passes second reading yesterday at the House of Representatives.

Eteyitomi explained that Ogidigben is a coastal community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State as well situated along the Escravos River with strategic proximity to other coastal communities within Warri Federal Constituency and neighboring State,which will make the institute when established accessible not only to the people of Warri Federal Constituency but Nigerians at large.

READ ALSO:School Kidnapping: Nothing will be spared to protect our children— FG declares

The lawmaker noted that the coastal communities within the Warri Federal Constituency produce over 30 percent of Nigeria’s mainstay economy but have little or nothing to show for it in the area of education, social amenities, or even federal presence.

He said Fishery contributes about 3.00-5.00 percent to the agriculture share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Sadly, the statistics from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development revealed that Nigeria spent 97 Billion Naira on fish importation in 2010, in the analysis of major food imports obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics, fish was the second major food commodity with the highest import Bill between the period of 2006 -2010, with an annual average of N113.63 Billion, despite Nigeria’s endowed marine resources, rivers, lakes, and creeks,

Ereyitomi also said Ogidigben as the proposed location of the Institute is ready to make available large acres of land for the construction and take-off of the institute as soon as the bill is assented to.