By Charity Ogbu
The Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, has donated two fishing boats to Oshoroko community women for empowerment and poverty alleviation even as they signed a trade agreement with the Oshoroko women in fishing for bulk purchase of their sea foods and external marketing.
The community has large number of women in fishing whose products are largely, different types of sea foods: Fish, crayfish, snail, prawn, among others.
The President of the association, Mrs Eunice Ezeoke, stated this during the fishing boat presentation at Oshoroko community in Lagos on Wednesday.
According to her, WSTA Nigeria has been providing fishing boats for women in the coastal communities for many years.
She said that Oshoroko women were chosen because of their reputed industry, hard work and resilience, which informed the association’s desire to be in the community.
Ezeoke added that a good testament to that was the women’s readiness to collaborate with WISTA Nigeria in finding market for their sea foods.
She said that WISTA Nigeria looked forward to a robust partnership by signing a trade agreement with the community, to assist them in marketing their fisheries beyond Nigeria.
Ezeoke said that the association appreciated the traditional ruler, Oba Olusegun Oyiri (JP), the Oloshoroko of Oshoroko Kingdom, for supporting the association with N150,000 to encourage the women’s passion.
She said that trade agreement was simply a draft that would be fine-tuned over the next few weeks, adding that it is an agreement after the second visit to the community to ensure the boats were ready for presentation.
She restated the vision of the association, “WISTA Nigeria is an arm of the WISTA International Association which exists in over 58 countries as an association of women in management levels in all areas of maritime such as shipping, logistics and trading.
“WISTA is sector of the economy formed in 1974. It was established in Nigeria in 1994.
“WISTA Nigeria is passionate about inclusiveness and this entails the economic empowerment of the coastal women in the area of the Blue Economy; harnessing the ocean’s resources for economic growth and improve the livelihood of coastal communities while preserving the health of the ocean’s ecosystem,” Ezeoke added.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Fishery Department, Mr Samuel Oropo, said the state was working toward supporting women to get enough fish for everyone in Lagos.
Olusanya urged the community women to use the opportunity wisely, to enable the association to do more for them.
She asked them to register their business to enable them benefit more from the Lagos State Government’s support on agriculture.
The Supervisor of Lekki Affairs, Mr Olabanjo Adeleke, congratulated the community for a wonderful support from WISTA Nigeria.
Adeleke said that Oshoroko stands outs among the 84 communities in Lekki LCDA, for driving the fishing business to greater heights.
She assured community of robust market for fisheries within and outside the state.
Vice President, WISTA-Nigeria, Mrs Ann Akpan, during her closing remarks, urged the community women to use the boat passionately, to enable them empower more women in the community.
Akpan said that that WISTA and Oshoroko had signed a trade agreement with the Oshoroko community on trade facilitation.
Akpan also said that Oshoroko could be a hub for crayfish business in Lagos and a center for partnership with WISTA
Speaking on behalf of WISTA-Nigeria Diamonds, Chief Carol Ufere, commended the WISTA-Nigeria executive for continuing in the spirit of supporting less privileged women in riverine communities.
She urged the incoming executive of WISTA-Nigeria not to relent in supporting the government with their kind gesture to eradicate poverty among women in the community.
“In the past, WISTA-Nigeria have gone beyond Lagos, to Enugu and other part of the country to donate boats with engine. But today’s own, it’s like a climax, with the presence of his royal Highness seated till the end of the boat presentation,” Ufere said.
She advised the fisher women in Oshoroko to make best of the opportunity to better their community.
Oyiri said Oshoroko was known for producing crayfish and other fisheries.
“I really appreciate the support of WISTA-Nigeria for choosing Oshoroko women community to improve more on what we are known for.
“I will monitor the usage of the boat through the women leaders in the community, Mrs Taiwo Oyiri, in ensuring that the donor will not regret supporting them.
“We will appreciate if WISTA will partner with the women in our community to add value and export their produce beyond Nigeria,” Oyiri said.
He explained the challenges of extortion faced by the Oshoroko community women in the past, adding that the trade agreement would assist them to excel in the fishing career.
