· SEEDAN, Seed Council want N10b GESS debt paid
Group picture |
The National
Assembly has vowed to drag Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for
Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) officials to either Independent Corrupt Practices
and Other Offences Commission (ICPC) or Economic and Financial Crime Commissions
(EFCC) for noncompliance to technical procurement procedure standard of quality
seeds to farmers through the registered companies that could give tracking and
checkmate adulteration in its ongoing programme just as stakeholders asked for
the payment of outstanding debt.
Hon. Dandutse Mohammed in white babariga, in a chat with DG NASC Dr. Phlip Olusegun Ojo and other |
The
chairman, House Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Dandutse
Mohammed accused the body of violating technical standard procurement practices
in its agricultural programme and that it would be made to give account before
the anti-graft agencies and the legislators at the appropriate time if it
failed to collaborate with National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) towards
engagement of registered seeds companies that would give quality inputs to
farmers to checkmate adulteration.
He said “If
NIRSAL does not listen to what we are saying, we will deal with them and report
to ICPC, EFCC or even bring them before the National Assembly because we are
fighting corruption and all forms of irregularities. They need to do what is to
be done with all stakeholders’’
“What is
fundamental is that NIRSAL ought to look into seed companies that are dully
registered and promote them, because they are doing most of the things informally
with some people and they are not even convinced will do what is to be done’’
The
legislator however advised that NIRSAL should be weary of its action in case
there are report of fake seeds in the programme saying “ if there is failure in
terms of grains they bought in the open market and presented as seeds, they
will be held responsible because they did not patronize the seed companies that
are registered’’
Meanwhile
both the Seed Entrepreneur Association of Nigeria (SEEDAN) and National
Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) have jointly requested Federal Government
(FG) of the remaining N10.4 billion outstanding debt of Growth Enhancement
Scheme (GES) of 2015 to be paid to producers and other fertilizer companies.
Speaking in
the same event the SEEDAN President, Mr. Richard Olafare who appealed the FG to
pay up the remaining of the GES seeds inputs debt of N10.4 billion for both his
members and other fertilizer companies also slammed NIRSAL for non transparency
in its dealings as regards standard procurement of seeds.
Mr. Olafare said that the debt from GES scheme
which was over N16billion during the last administration has been cleared by
the present government with an outstanding of about N10.4 billion to be paid to
his members and companies which supplied inputs like fertilizer.
Said he: “By
the time the former administration was leaving, it was over N16 billion and
when this administration came, put together with fertilizer, they have been
paying us in bits, but now what is outstanding is about N10billion which we are
begging and lobbying to get before the expiration of this administration’’
He said in
accordance with the CBN directives, the association would ensure credibility
and integrity that will conform to the theme “Ethics and Financial Standards
for Seed Producers: Panacea to Sustainable Quality Seed Production”, adding the
training was aimed at equipping industry players with technical capacities
towards food security as he said that his association was an off shoot of CBN’s
advise to attaining coordination and compliance to providing certified seeds to
farmers.
Also the Director
General of NASC, Dr. Philip Ojo who also pleaded with the FG to ensure payment
to Seeds Company so as to ensure production continuity that would checkmate
scarcity adding that the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh and his
agency have made frantic effort to ensure payment through visit to the CBN.
“I just want
to say that all machineries are being put in motion to ensure that they are
paid, because we are talking of food security.
We cannot have food security without seed security and you cannot have seed
security unless you have good production practices, to ensure that people being
owed are paid and they will be able to produce quality seeds. I am happy and
sure the minister is on top of the situation and he is even the chairman of our
board and he even led the industry to the CBN so that the seed fund is put in
place’’
Meanwhile, Dr.
Ojo responding to question on seeds bill at the National Assembly said it was
before the senate awaiting the signature of the Senate President as all grey
areas that resulted to its return have been sorted out.
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