Fishing cooperatives and others learn skills in maintaining outboard machines

About 22 fishing cooperatives and some staff from the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) have acquired skills in the maintenance and operation of outboard fishing machinery.

The training, held in Monrovia, was facilitated by Japanese experts in collaboration with NaFAA. It aims to bring fishing cooperatives to mechanize fishing activities in order to improve their catches to ensure the sustainability of the country’s fishing sector.

During the opening of the workshop, Augustine Manoballah, Deputy Director General of NaFAA for Administration, encouraged participants to take the training seriously. He said NaFAA was not only interested in donating outboard motors to fishermen, but found it necessary to train recipients in proper maintenance and durability.

“We’re not just interested in giving you equipment without understanding how to use it. We are also keen on the issue of sustenance,” he said. “Because if you’re not properly equipped to deal with them or fix them, when he starts having a problem, you may decide to hand him over to the wrong people.”

Manoballah took the opportunity to commend the efforts of the Japanese government and other training partners. “We are grateful to the people of Japan, CICA Motors and Grow Agents for this wonderful partnership,” he said.

Meanwhile, at the closing of the training workshop, participants praised NaFAA and its partners for building their capacity. They expressed optimism that the knowledge gained will be used to properly manage and maintain the machines entrusted to them.

Liberia’s nine coastal counties were represented at the workshop by two people each. A few staff from NaFAA’s technical office also participated.

It may be recalled that on October 23, 2021, President George Manneh Weah officially launched 420 pieces of Yamaha outboard motors in the port city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. The launch of the outboard machines was followed by the free distribution of the outboard motors to fishing cooperatives established in the nine coastal counties

The outboard motors were donated to NaFAA by the Japanese government following a visit to Japan by Weah.