The second edition of the Abaji Fishing festival in the FCT will hold between April 13 and April 15.
Mr Abuo Ojie, the Head, Public Relations Department, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, disclosed this on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Ojie said that the festival, earlier scheduled for March, was shifted to April, to ensure that the water level at Yaba River in Abaji was favourable for fishing.
“We were advised to move the date of the festival forward because the water level at Yaba River will be high in March which is not good enough for fishing.
“So we moved the festival to April with the belief that the water level will be low and good for the fishing.''
Ojie said registration of fishermen for the festival would commence on April 13, while the fishing contest, exhibition of farm produce and fishing equipment would hold on April 14.
According to him, the festival, to be held at the Yaba Fishing Village in Abaji Area Council, will attract about 1,000 participants.
Ojie told NAN that of the 1,000 participants, 53 nominees would be awarded with various categories of prizes.
“We are expecting promoters of fish and fishing products to come and exhibit their products.
“We are also expecting members of the diplomatic corps to grace the occasion.''
Unity Bank and Dabo Farms would partner with the secretariat to finance the festival, he said.
NAN recalls Mrs Olvadi Madayi, the Secretary, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, announced last year that the sum of N50, 000 would be awarded to the winner of the fishing festival.
Madayi also said that second and third prize winners would take home N30,000 and N15,000 respectively, while 50 other contestants? would be awarded N10,000 each as consolation prize.
The first edition of the fishing festival, organised to promote fishing and tourism in the FCT,? was held in 2006. (NAN)