Fish farmers in Ekpan, Uvwie local government area have been assured of the support and encouragement by the state government. The Executive Assistant to the Governor on Micro Credit, Dr. Anthonia Ashiedu, gave the assurance when she visited the farm established by the farmers during a re-sensitization visit to the area.

Dr. Ashiedu remarked that with the establishment of the two thousand fish ponds in the farm, Ekpan could rightly be called a fish town in Nigeria.

She said the government would not only send members of the team for seminars and workshops, but would also train them to enable them train others. The Executive Assistant told them that the problem of capital, credit and grants which they complained about would soon be a thing of the past.

The President of the farmers group, Deacon David Omoesiri, in an address, solicited support and intervention of the government in credit facilities, provision of fish feeds at subsidized rates, water pumps, seminars, training and workshops. Dr. Ashiedu was also at Ewu-Urhobo rice farm in Ughelli South where she remarked that the farm had demonstrated that rice could be grown in the State.

She said that the farmers would be assisted through the State Micro Credit Programme and others meant for farmers by the state government. Dr. Ashiedu later inspected the one hundred-hectare rice farm.

The Chairman of the Rice Farmers Association, Mrs. Esther Whegbere, commended the State Micro Credit Programme which she said, had assisted in a very big way in bringing the farm to its present position. She appealed for more assistance to enable them expand and employ more people.