Nigerian government raises committee to enforce ban on foreigners purchasing agric commodities at farm gates

“This situation has indeed led to the failure of many contractual agreements between farmers and indigenous off-takers.

“It has also affected the production capacity of our local factories due to the fact that foreigners buy off supplies and deprive the factories of required stocks.

“The current practice of direct purchases of agricultural commodities at unfair prices by foreigners at our farm-gates poses serious dangers which include: reduction in farmers’ income, declining productivity in the agricultural sector, unemployment and insecurity,” he explained.

According to him “a number of activities have been outlined for implementation and the Committee is expected to ensure that they are properly articulated and implemented for the growth and development of our economy.”

He charged the committee to come up with an appropriate implementation mechanism and guidelines for implementing the approved FEC memo as well as liaise with States, Local Government Areas and other critical stakeholders nationwide to enforce the ban and compliance.

Other terms of reference for the committee include: “To facilitate the establishment of enforcement organs in the States and Local Governments; To facilitate the signing of Executive Order by Mr President, specifying penalties and fines for violators.

“To liaise with the State Governments for the establishment of commodity aggregation centres for export in some strategic locations nationwide and “To carry out the periodic assessment (quarterly) on the implementation and Honourable Minister,” he said.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Evelyn Ngige, said the committee is saddled with the duty of ensuring 100 per cent implementation of the approved memo.

Ngige represented by the Director, Human Resource Management in the Ministry, Mr Yisau Adepoju, said part of the mandate of the ministry is to formulate and implement policies and programmes to attract investments, boost industrialisation, increase trade and export, and develop enterprises with a view to promoting economic growth, create jobs and generate wealth.

“As you are aware, the Ministry is passionate about the promotion and development of the non-oil sector, having realised the enormous potential of the sector and its contributions to the national economy.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that wealth from crude oil is not sustainable given the fact that the oil wells will certainly dry up someday.

“Nigeria is naturally endowed with vast and fertile arable lands suitable for the production of many commodities.

“”The production, processing and marketing of these commodities not only provide food security but also jobs, income and foreign exchange, amongst others,” she said.

The Permanent Secretary said the Ministry has put in place a number of programmes and initiatives to reposition the subsector.

According to Ngige, the initiatives include the campaign on the patronage of Made-in-Nigeria products, Nigeria agri-business and Agro-industry Development Initiative,(NAADI), Domestication of global GAP, E-Commerce and the Commerce 160 Initiative, among others.

Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Suleiman Audu, expressed the readiness and willingness of the committee to provide the required leadership and coordination to ensure efficient implementation of the committee’s mandate.

Audu, who appreciated the government for the confidence reposed in them, pledged on behalf of the committee members not to disappoint the government on the critical assignment.

He said the national assignment has come just in time when the present administration has reiterated its focus on the development of the agricultural sector in Nigeria.

“Indeed, the full implementation of the FEC approval on Promotion of Agribusiness in Nigeria through Right Farm Gate Pricing and Ban of Foreigners/Representatives from Purchasing Agricultural Commodities at the Farm Gates will no doubt ensure that farmers get commensurate value for their hard work, eliminate the threats to the sustenance of the nation’s non-oil export, particularly in the agric-commodity sub-sector and strengthen Government’s efforts at diversifying the economy away from oil and gas.

“I hereby express my readiness and willingness to provide the required leadership and coordination to ensure efficient implementation of the mandate of the Committee.

“I pledge on behalf of the committee members that we will not disappoint you on this assignment, Sir.

“We will roll up our sleeves and shall hold the inaugural meeting immediately after the successful inauguration.

“We assure your excellency that we shall work as a team. We shall be guided by the terms of reference and the interest of the nation,” he assured.