L’be Fisheries School Graduates 1st Batch

By Ticha Melanis in Limbe

 Minister of Livestock, Dr Taiga congratulates a graduating student

The Fisheries Academy, LINAFI, Limbe has graduated its first batch of 71 trainees. The graduation ceremony took place on Friday 29 November, at the school’s campus in Ngeme, Limbe.
    Presiding over the ceremony, the Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, Dr Taiga, underscored the important contribution of the fishing sector to the economic growth of the country.
    “The fishing sector plays a dominate role in the economy of the nation and it contributes to create wealth, employment and ensure food security. Giving the rich maritime coastline of Cameroon, it is absolutely necessary to train high quality human resources to sustainably explore the resources for which the Limbe Nautical Arts and Fishery School, LINAFI has succeeded to do since 2016”. 
    Taiga said it was a great honour for him to preside over the first graduation organized by the school.
    This first batch of students were admitted in 2016 through a competitive entrance examination. Four of them graduated with distinction. They include Bekono Bekono, overall best and best in her department; Youkep Lesleye and Tejiona Patrick.
    Minister Taiga told the laureates to be real professionals in their careers. He exhorted them to respect the civil service tenets of punctuality, seriousness, honesty and hard work.
    He enlightened the population on the objective of creating the school which is to provide training to young Cameroonians in diversified fisheries and nautical science domains.
    The Minister invited parents to continue to send their children to the school and leave no stone unturned in educating them in the right domains.
    He congratulated the management of the school for their dedication and commitment, and the population of Limbe for providing a safe environment for the students to study in peace and serenity.
    On her part, the representative of the minister of higher education, Fongod Auqustina reminded the graduates that they are the first fruits of the institution and the flagship of nautical and fishing studies in central Africa and so they should be worthy ambassadors ready to provide appropriate responses to the expectation of professionals wherever they go.

    In his welcome address, the Government Delegate to the Limbe city council Andrew Motanga Monjimba affirmed that the institution represents a window of opportunity to the youths for them to improve on what their parents were doing using artisanal methods.  He said Limbe will be the best place for the campus of the soon-to-be created Higher Teacher Training College of the Buea University.
    The Director of the institution Ettah Collins Ayuk stated that the 71 graduates have been trained in all the domains offered in the school and are therefore offered the University Diploma in Fishery Technology. He disclosed that 22 are qualified in industrial fishing and navigation, 25 in marine engineering and 24 in fishing technology.
    Etah explained to the graduates that their graduation marks a new beginning in their life and education is a continuous process for there is so much to be learned practically in the field that will help accelerate their skills and expertise.
    He therefore encouraged them to be proactive and not to put their certificates in their bags but go in search for a job to practice what they have learnt.
    He called on economic operators to give the graduates the opportunity to work in their establishments.
    LINAFI is a tertiary technical and professional institute that trains Cameroonians in diverse fishery and maritime domains. It was created by a presidential decree in 2016.