While addressing the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of State for Agriculture-Heineken Lokpobri-revealed that there are no laws banning the importation of maize into the country. According to Mr. Lokpobri’s speech, the proliferation of imported maize might be an effect of the three million metric tonnes deficit the nation suffered from its local production last year.
According to the Comptroller General of Customs rep, Aminu Dan Galadima, last year’s revenue from import taxes in Port Harcourt alone came up to N500 million.
The Deputy Director in the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olukayode Oluwole, while answering questions from the chairman of the committee, Abdullahi Adamu said: “I am not competent to give reasons on how importers of maize get foreign exchange from CBN to import millions of metric tonnes of maize into the country to the detriment of local farmers.”
“I know that my submissions before this committee are on record since you have already put me on oath. I can give you sufficient answers to any question raised on Anchor Borrowers Program on rice which has covered 31 States of the federation with its attendant gains and benefits,” Mr. Oluwole said when the chairman warned that his declaration of incompetence was on the record.
Source: PremiumTimes