Plans to build fisheries hub facilities in Vanimo

A FISHERIES hub will be built in Vanimo, West Sepik, to support and grow the sector in the province, according to the National Fisheries Authority (NFA).
NFA in partnership with the West Sepik provincial government will co-fund the project.
NFA acting managing director Justin Ilakini along with West Sepik Governor Tony Wouwou and provincial administrator Conrad Tilau received the design documentation of the facility from Kemkai Investment Ltd architect Jerry Nakau.
Nakau said the facilities proposed for construction would be in two phrases.
Phase one includes a jetty, wharf, post-harvest facility and service facility which includes a security office, public toilets and shower, water and power supply, standby generator, firefighting equipment, waste disposal units, fencing and road access.
Phase two includes a monitoring, control and surveillance office and solar servicing system.
He said the hub would cost about K25 million to build.
Wouwou said the province remained committed to seeing the project come to fruition.
Ilakini said the initial design document was an important first step to see the commitment to funding.
“We have agreements with all the maritime provinces, Highlands provinces, and this is one of the major service delivery frameworks, that we have in terms of delivering services to our people in fisheries.
“In that memorandum of agreement (MOA), the provinces have the responsibility to identify important impact projects, and they consult with NFA and we insert it into that agreement and we help the provinces in funding those projects within the framework of those agreements.
“All the MOAs, as long as they sign it with us and we agree on a cost sharing agreement, then we proceed to implementation of the project in the provinces.
“One of the things in the MOA was for provinces to be willing to co-fund under counterpart funding arrangements, where NFA will contribute 60 per cent and the provinces will contribute 40 per cent.”