NRMAN Condemns NCS Decision to allow Rice Importation

NRMAN

The National Rice Millers Association of Nigeria, NRMAN, has condemned the decision by the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, to lift the ban on importation of rice through the land borders.

Chairman of the Association, Mohammed Abubakar while speaking with newsmen in Abuja today said the NCS has overstretched its statutory mandate as an enforcement agency in taking such a policy decision.

Abubakar said, if the NCS succeeded in its decision, it would destroy the progress of Nigeria’s rice value chain, attained by the previous administration.

The Chairman, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Umza Rice, said the decision was an attempt by the customs to legitimise the smuggling of rice.

“First of all, the NCS does not have the power to do that, it is a matter of national policy and customs do not make national policy, it is an implementation agency.

“Its decision will completely kill the rice value chain and everything concerning rice production will stop; customs does not have the right to make such decision.

“The ban was placed six years ago and everybody knows that, so NCS does not have any reason to say rice should be brought in through the land borders. Anyone who gives such directive has smuggling intentions,” he said.

Abubakar further noted that the association would do everything possible to make customs see patriotic reason and rescind in its decision.

He therefore urged the Nigerian government to remain focused in its decision of prohibiting the importation of rice into the country so as to ensure that Nigeria becomes self sufficient in rice production.

It would be recalled that the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), had yesterday ordered the immediate removal of rice from import restriction list and the re-introduction of import duty payment at land borders.

This was made known by the Public Relations Officer of customs, Mr Wale Adeniyi, in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

Adeniyi said that all rice imports through land borders by rice traders would attract the prevailing import duty of 10 per cent with 60 per cent levy.

He added that rice millers (preferential levy) with valid quota allocation would also attract duty rate of 10 per cent with 20 per cent levy on rice importation.

He said: “Over the years, importation has been restricted to the seaports because border authorities have found it difficult to effectively monitor and control importation of rice. When the decision to ban rice was taken it was not an effective measure because smuggling of the product thrives with people using different means of conveyance including small trucks, bicycles and even animals – putting them on donkeys and some actually carry it on their heads.

“These new measures will be for customs to reorganise their anti-smuggling operations in the border areas and ensure that all those importers through the borders bring their rice through approved routes and pay their extant duty.”