Business and Economic News By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu CITY
THE three governments of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have agreed to impose levy charges on fishermen and fish traders operating in Lake Victoria in the near future.
This was agreed at the Council of Ministers in charge of fisheries from the three countries at a meeting held in the Ugandan capital, Kampala last week. The proposal is contained in a joint ministerial statement issued last Friday after the meeting.
It is indeed one of the various raft of measures aimed at raising funds to run and manage this fisheries sector.
“All the three countries will have to ensure that the fish landing site users fee is legislated as a funding mechanism for Beach Management Unit, “reads the joint statement.
It was signed by the Ugandan Minister for Agriculture, Culture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Hope Mwesigye, Kenya’s Fisheries Minister Dr.Paul Nyongesa Otuma. Tanzania’s High Commissioner to Uganda Rajab Gamal signed for his country’s Minister for Fisheries.
The move came in the wake of the reported move by the European Union {EU} which has been supporting most of the Beach Management Units and infrastructure development had announced it would be pulling out by August this year.
To-date, the EU has finance the Beach Management Units within the three territories to the tune of Kshs 3 billion. The phased out EU support aimed at fighting illegal fishing, building office blocks, research and vessels, among other activities.
And among the options the three Ministers discussed was the possibility of increasing states contributions to the regional kitty managed by the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization, whose administrative headquarters is based in Uganda.
Presently, every country provides an equivalent amount of money to the tune of Kshs 9 billion [USD 120 million} and Kshs 24 million {USD320,000}
The Council of Minister, however, is exploring the possibility of setting up a fish levy trust to help in the implementation of the programs.
Dr Otuoma was quoted by the press as saying that the running of the water body can no longer be done by every state individually.
Among the challenges faced include deterioration of water quality due to pollution, over fishing and use of illegal harvesting methods..Stocks of the biggest income earner, the Nile Perch, have been on the decline, pushing high its price in the local and international market.
Available statistic released in February this year by LVFO shows show that 360,000tons of Nile perch had been harvested cumulatively b the three countries. This compared badly with the 1,932,000 tons last year.
The decline in many fish species in Lake Victoria is also attributed the poor quality of water which is excessively polluted by industrial residues discharged from various towns and u country industries.
Numerous Non-Governmental Organizations {NGOs} have sprung up in recent year and went over drive in raising funds from foreign governments, mostly in Western Europe purporting to be working towards the preservation of Lake Victoria waters and fighting its environmental degradation, but only converted the donor money into wealth making.
These NGO are found within the three countries of Tanzania Uganda and Kenya. They usually approach the donor agencies with elaborate plans earmarked for fighting pollution and other environmental degradation in the water mass, but all the funds got siphoned and ended up lining the pockets of the NGO bosses, but strangely enough thy still able to continue conning the donor nations of millions of dollars of taxpayers money in those countries.
The sweet talking bosses of these NGO have become excessively wealthy and jet set flying to every capital of the world, especially within the EU nations attracting donor fund, and yet the quality of water in Lake Victoria has deteriorated so much that it is no longer even fit not only for fish breeding, but even for human consumption.
Millions of dollars raised from the generous donor agencies most of it is squandered in funding the purchase of the latest state of the art vehicles, mostly the four wheel drive Japanese fuel guzzling cars private posh houses in the cities, business enterprises premises and other valuable properties while Victoria is on its deathbed!!.
Lake Victoria has changed its color and the water looked dirty and contaminated due to human errors and pollution by industrial wastes.
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com