By Nneka Nwogwugwu
As the yuletide draws closer, the Nigerian Government is planning on ways to reduce illegal importation of rice through land borders.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar made this known during the meeting of the Steering Committee of the National Taskforce on the Illegal Importation of Rice through the Land Borders at the Ministry’s Conference Hall, Abuja over the weekend.
In a statement released by the Ministry on Sunday, Abubakar said that the government will continue to strategize and collaborate with other Governmental and Security agencies to reduce the illegal importation of rice through the land borders.
He stated that the ban on rice importation has brought about a significant rise in local rice production and unlocked economic opportunities for rice investors in the country.
He said, ‘’ the ministry is very concerned about the increase in smuggling and has convened this meeting to discuss critical issues in order to strategize and come up with concrete measures to enable the committee carry out its duties effectively.
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“The resumed smuggling of foreign rice, especially through the land borders is constituting a serious threat to these achievements. Therefore, if the smuggling is left unchecked it will jeopardize all government efforts to enhance the domestic rice industry and make them ineffective”.
He pointed out that the Federal Government and private sectors have invested a lot of resources in rice production and processing over the years because of the government commitment to the development of the sub-sector through its various interventions.
Also highlighting major achievements of the ministry in rice production, Abubakar said, “The Ministry has been supporting farmers especially smallholders and rice processors with quality seeds of improved varieties, production and processing machinery and equipment including the provision of modern rice mills of various capacities, per boiler, dryers, colour sorters in order to boost rice production and improve the quality and market competitiveness of domestic rice.
‘’Nigerian rice industry had recorded significant progress in terms of investment due to an increase in the quality and quantity of the milled rice and it has in turn, increased the competitiveness, consumer preference and patronage of our milled rice.”
In his remarks, the Comptroller General, Nigeria Custom Service, Col Hameed Ali (rtd), said that, ‘’ the meeting has presented an avenue for the committee to deliberate and discuss on curbing insecurity and smuggling of rice into the country’’.
He further said that ’’ the Nigerian Customs Service cannot fight alone in the Operation of the border patrol but needs other security agencies such as the Nigerian Civil Defense Corps to beef up the joint operations of the Taskforce.’’
