The National Association of Agricultural Product Dealers (NAAPD) has inaugurated its coordinators in Edo State with a view to monitor levies on agricultural products in the 18 local government areas in the state.
This was done in conjunction with the Federal Joint Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement on Food Security to stop illegal and multiple levies on agricultural produce and agro allied products in the state.
NAAPD Secretary-General Kingsley Chikeze, who inaugurated the coordinators, said the body would soon commence the destruction of illegal revenues collection centres across the state.
Kingsley urged the coordinators to be disciplined and honest in order to perform their duties effectively.
He assured the officers of the federal and state government’s support of their activities and mandated them to report any illegal activities or extortion by any persons on agricultural products.
The NAPPD scribed warned that any coordinator that failed to report extortion on agricultural products would be sanctioned.
He explained that the purpose of the coordinators in each local government area was to ensure reduction in the prices of agro-allied products.
NAAPD Edo State coordinator Steve David stated that members of the association would be assigned to different locations to checkmate illegal levies on agricultural produce in the state.
Steve noted that a special security team made up of policemen and officials of NSCDC were already in the state to join the association enforcement team in carrying out the mandate.
He disclosed that the association plan to register all farmers in the state in order to bring them closer to government and for easy access to loans.
His words: “As part of checkmating multiple taxes or levels on agricultural products, NAAPD operation staff will be regularly posted to designated beats on uniform and I.D cards to collect approved rates of levies with federal receipts on agricultural produce and agro allied products at the point of loading and offloading.
“Beside our cardinal commitment to food security, NAAPD is standing the gap in other areas. It has afforded avenues to create employment for our teeming youths.”