Namibians should consume more fish: Esau

WALVIS BAY, 15 SEP  – Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Bernhardt Esau on Friday acknowledged that Namibia still has some way to go in sensitising people about eating fish.
“Fish consumption is driven by a deliberate Government policy directed by Cabinet, which seeks to make Namibia a fish-eating nation, in tandem with our status as a major fishing country,” he said during the launch of the seventh National Fish Consumption Day at Walvis Bay on Friday.
The day will be celebrated at Opuwo in the Kunene Region on 27 October.
Esau said Namibians need to ensure that the positive health effects of eating more fish, such as improving cardiovascular health, is shared with people.
Namibia Fish Consumption Promotion Trust (NFCPT) Chief Executive Officer Victor Pea said National Fish Consumption Day plays its part in the elimination of ignorance, hunger, unemployment and poverty.
“The trust, through the annual National Fish Consumption Day, demonstrates its commitment to the empowerment of our future leaders through equipping them with the necessary facilities to make their learning enjoyable,” Pea added.
Kunene Governor Marius Sheya said the donations raided during a gala dinner and market day held at the same time will be used to fund schools whose hostels are not up to standard in the region.
During Friday’s event, 684 chairs and 765 desks were donated to 14 schools in the Kavango West Region. It was bought with funds raised during the gala dinner held in the region during last year’s event.
NFCPT Chairperson Susan Ndjaleka said each national fish consumption event held within a particular constituency has ploughed back into the host region by way of various needs that were identified.
“The identified beneficiaries were schools and the items received included infrastructure which would aid in narrowing the divide between rural and urban schools,” Ndjaleka said.

NAMPA