Govt seeks stakeholders’ commitment on sugar backward integration

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

The Federal Government has urged stakeholders in the sugar industry to be committed to the Backward Integration Programme of 2013.

The Executive Secretary, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Latif Busari, assured that there will be speedy completion of all ongoing sugar projects in the country, adding that a greater commitment is required from key stakeholders in the sector in order to sustain the gains so far recorded.

Busari said this WAs to make the industry globally competitive in line with the economic diversification agenda of the government.  The government is ready to build a globally competitive sugar industry that would guarantee huge return on investments for all players.

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The building of these industries will also attain self sufficiency, create return on investment (RoI) for all players, create jobs, generate electricity and derive other benefits of the sugar value chain as contained in the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan.

Busari said the council would continue to provide all necessary policy supports and regulatory assistance for the sector to thrive.

The council commended the major three investors in the sector, Flour Mills Nigeria, BUA Sugar Refinery and Dangote Sugar Refinery for their huge investment in the sector amidst operational and climatic challenges.

Busari urged operators to speed up work across their factories, noting that Nigerians are anxious to see that these factories become operational in view of their huge economic impact on the country and benefit all interest.

On the supervision of the BIP projects, Busari said government had in its wisdom set up two strategic bodies saddled with the responsibility of monitoring progress in the sector. “We have the Sugar Roadmap Implementation Committee (SURMIC), which comprised relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government as well as the Sugar Industry Monitoring Group (SIMOG) which comprised of the three major sugar investors; FMN, BUA and Dangote. These are the two monitoring organs for the BIP.