The Federal Government
says it is considering holding a public debate in order to establish commodity
pricing board by 2017.
Daily
Trust report continues:
The
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, disclosed this
at a press conference in Abuja on Monday.
Ogbeh,
who expressed regret that commodity pricing boards which were established few
years ago were no longer functional, said the public debate would help to
tackle gaps experienced by the past boards.
He
explained that a minimum guaranteed price for crops was necessary to ensure
balance for consumers.
“Commodity
boards were set up before but somehow, they did not work.
“The
debate now is that, do we go back to the commodity boards or not, but we will
arrive at something soon.
“We
may have to hold a public hearing on this matter. There are those who said that
there were abuses.
“Some
people were of the view that farmers were cheated, while others said the system
worked well because they guaranteed quality control, educated farmers on what
to do.
“The
views are very strong on either side, we intend to hold a public debate
quickly, analyze them what we have and see what is best.
“Give
us a little time, maybe, early next year, we will find a solution to that. We
have a duty to protect the Nigerian consumers,’’ he said.
FG Won’t Stop
Grains Export To Niger, Chad — Ogbeh
 |
| Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh |
Daily
Trust reports that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief
Audu Ogbeh, has said there is no basis to stop farmers exporting their grains
after harvest because that is creating more market for them.
He,
however, assured that government was ready to stock its 33 silos to ensure food
security in the country.
Speaking
yesterday at the African Economic Conference in Abuja, organized by the African
Development Bank, Ogbeh said exporting grains was a welcome development and
would not lead to famine, adding “government will not allow that to happen”
The
minister reiterated the assurance to allay fears by some stakeholders over
unprecedented and continued influx of grains merchants from West, North and
Central African countries to buy Nigerian grains.
Also
speaking at a press conference in his office, Ogbeh said his ministry was
already in the market also buying grains at this time that the grains have the
appropriate moisture level of 13% for storage, noting that “we know some are
also buying and storing hoping that the price will reach the sky and then make
profit, but we’re buying.”
He
said some northern emirs and chiefs who met with him on Tuesday last week also
raised the same anxiety and panic over the massive purchase of grains from many
of the grains producing states.
Chief
Ogbeh noted that it was true that for the first time in Nigeria’s history, “we
are witnessing extraordinary purchase of grains from the country into West,
North and Central Africa”, adding that “we’re even getting demand as far down
as Namibia. They are asking for 37,000 metric tonnes of maize.”
Also
speaking, the President of AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina, said if the continent wanted
to move away from poverty and malnutrition, agriculture must be treated as
business.
He
said no region of the world has moved to industrialized economic status without
passing through the transformation of the agricultural sector.
“The reason is simple; agriculture provides the basic raw materials needed for industrial development. Food accounts for the highest share of consumer price index and providing cheap food is critical for taming inflation,” he said.
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