By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
The Governor of Kebbi State and Chairman Presidential Taskforce on Rice Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu on Thursday, assured rice millers of federal government’s effort to ensure a reduction on the interest rate paid by them on loan.
Bagudu, who gave the assurance while fielding questions at a stakeholders meeting in Lagos with Rice Distributors Association of Nigeria and Rice Millers said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was determined to ensure rice availability and affordability for all Nigerians.
“On the reduction of interest rate on loan asked for by the millers, I think it is also right, it will be done”, the Governor assured.
According to him, from the contributions of all the stakeholders, it is apparent that what Nigerians want was actually not about making subsidy available on rice production but making it affordable and accessible such that Nigerian produced rice that can be as competitive as those of the imported ones into the country.
“The mandate given to this task force which is under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is to ensure Nigeria has self-sufficiency in rice and wheat production.
But so far, the stakeholders within the value chain, either as farmers, distributors or millers are not talking about subsidy what they are saying is that, help us tell Mr President that we would like to have the rice at a competitive price with the so called imported rice. And that has to do with affordability and I can tell you that Mr President is committed to that,” Bagudu said.
The Kebbi State Governor also explained that from his interactions with the stakeholders, it is apparent that many are patrotic and they are interested in selling Nigerian produced rice because it is nutritious and help to provide employment for the teeming Nigerian populace.
On the issue of the smuggled rice complained about by the stakeholders, Bagudu said the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), have responsibilities to discharge and that government will intensify efforts in that regards.
He reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to ensure that Nigeria attain self-sustainability in food production, saying all of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory can grow rice in their respective domain and help contribute to the President’s mantra of “we must grow what we eat and eat what we grow”.
In her address at the occasion, the national president of Rice Distributors Association of Nigeria Deaconess Olufunmulayo Akinsanya implored the federal government to assist the millers in producing at a cost that would be afforded by the less privileged.
She also implored the federal government to prevail on the Central Bank of Nigeria to grant rice distributors special interest rate on loans.
The chairman of Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPTAN), Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar pointed out that the smuggling is the only major problem in the rice value change.
Stating that the price of Nigeria rice can not be same as that of smuggled rice because of evasion of duty by the importer, Abubakar stressed the need for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to tackle smuggling headlong in order to halt the menace.
In her own contribution, the Vice President of Rice Distributors Association of Nigeria, Chief Mrs. Ibilola Sholaja noted that insufficient of Nigeria rice was one of the factors responsible for rice smuggling.
She promised the readiness of members of the association in stampling out smuggled rice across the markets in Nigeria.
The Iya-loja of Lagos Chief Folashade Tinubu Ojo in her remarks pointed out that there is hunger in the land, urging government at all levels to ensure efforts are intensified to make Nigerians feed well.
