Kenya: Boost to Fish Traders After U.S.$601,000 Transhipment Centre Completed

Busia — Busia County Government through the departments of Infrastructure and Energy, Office of the Governor and Agriculture and Fisheries has today inspected ongoing construction works at the Cross Border Fish Tran-shipment Market in Burumba ward, Matayos Sub-County.

The project which is a collaboration between the County Government and World Bank through the Kenya Devolution Support Programme (KDSP) is primed to be a lead market for fish traders in Busia County and the larger East Africa region.

The team from Public Works led by Acting Director John Kevin Otwani set the project status at 98 per cent with the remaining finishes likely to take a week to complete before it is handed over to the Agriculture and Fisheries department.

Among the features that would be in the market include a cold room, an eatery point, storage point, fresh fish handling section and offices among others.

“The market generates Sh1.2 billion in trade, but with the completion of the new facility, the figure will rise to Sh2 billion,” he said.

The Office of the Governor was represented in the meeting by Mr Shadrack Maloba who is the Director Service Delivery.

In his remarks, Maloba lauded the contractor for accelerating the completion of the project which was among priority projects under Governor Sospeter Ojaamong’s administration.

The fish traders who were represented by their chairperson Mr Tabu Aketch thanked the Governor for taking the initiative of constructing the facility which will go a long way in boosting fish trade in the region.

Aketch together with over 700 traders who will manage the day to day running of the structure suggested that the facility be named Ojaamong Fish Trans-shipment and Auction centre in remembrance of the Governor.

The facility will have eateries, fish cleaning area and ablution blocks which would be managed by traders through their leadership.

The contractor promised to complete the remaining works in a week’s time before handing over to the County Government.