Chief Audu Ogbeh |
The reported
lamentations of the agric minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh over the local rice price
that has remained relatively higher than that of imported rice is really
uncalled for.
He had said that while local rice sold for
N16,000, the foreign one went for N13,000. The alarm he raised is really
unnecessary because the government should have been prepared for the reactions
of the countries exporting rice to Nigeria which are not happy that the country
is taking steps to be self sufficient in rice production and processing.
He should be
aware that some of the countries are ready to even give Nigeria free rice, for
now, in order to ensure that Nigeria stops its efforts at self sufficiency. What
they are doing, by subsidizing their exports to Nigeria is aimed at undermining
and undercutting Nigeria’s efforts and it is all part of the politics of
international trade which should have been understood by government and its
agents.
What the
government needs to do is constitute committee on how to checkmate these
saboteurs and their local agents. The government, through the Nigerian Customs
Service and FMARD should hold meetings with the known importers of the
commodity and let them know that what they are doing is inimical to the
development of their fatherland; or on the other way round, the police should
be brought in to explain to the importers (supported with statistics, of course)
that by continuing to import or smuggle foreign rice, jobs are being given to
foreigners at the expense of Nigerians and consequently there would be high unemployment and
corresponding crime rate.
No comments:
Post a Comment