NASS threatens NIRSAL with anti-graft agencies over seeds quality

·       SEEDAN, Seed Council want N10b GESS debt paid

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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.