The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ban

  • Ahmed seeks enforcement of poultry importation ban

    Ahmed seeks enforcement of poultry importation ban

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has called for stronger enforcement of the ban on poultry products.

    Ahmed, who spoke at a-one day seminar on “Impact of smuggled poultry products on the Economy and Health of Nigerians”, organised by the Poultry Association of Nigeria, said the poultry sector is currently responsible for 25 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    According to him, the sector has the potential to create employment for five million Nigerians.

    He said: “However, the industry is still faced with many challenges, which include but not limited to unfair competition from imported frozen meat, including chicken and turkey.

    “Imported frozen meat is said to account for over $2.5 billion in foreign exchange and a loss of more than one million job opportunities annually. The net impact of this is the gradual emasculation of local businesses, resulting in unemployment and stunted growth.

    “While the issues highlighted demonstrate the urgent need to stem the importation of frozen poultry to protect and promote Nigeria’s poultry sector, environmental and health implications of imported meat are no less grave.

    “Given these economic, social and environmental costs of importing meat, I call for stronger enforcement of the ban on importation of poultry products into the country to protect the health of our citizens and boost our economy.”

    The association’s National President, Ezekiel Ibrahim said about 3.9 million metric tons of poultry products were smuggled into Nigeria between 2014 and 2017.

    The association urged the Federal Government not to lift the ban on the importation of poultry products.

    Ibrahim said the consumption of smuggled poultry products had increased terminal ailments among the people.

    His words: “Over the last 15 years, the industry has had mixed fortunes in terms of development. While the industry has grown immensely over this period, it has also witnessed great challenges like the continued smuggling of frozen products into the country, outbreak of Avian Influenza and high cost and scarcity of maize and soya-beans.”

  • Ban Olamide’s ‘Science Student’, says Don Pedro Obaseki

    Ban Olamide’s ‘Science Student’, says Don Pedro Obaseki

    Notable filmmaker and communications expert Don Pedro Obaseki has asked the authories to ban the trending song, ‘Science Student’ by Olamide, claiming the song ‘eulogises’ drug abuse.

    The celebrated filmmaker made this assertion in a recent video which has also been circulating on social media.

    “My name is Don Pedro Obaseki and I’m driving on Third Mainland Bridge now, just coming from work in Lagos,” he said, beginning the video.

    “I just came across a video that is trending stupendously online and it is a video by Olamide. Olamide Adedeji, you know, Badoo. And this one is called ‘Science Student.’

    “I want to beg the Nigerian government, I want to beg the National Broadcasting Commission that if we have any sense of decency left. I’m driving and I can’t help it in this traffic when I heard that song. A song, that ‘Science Student’ song is encouraging our children to mix all forms of drugs. He’s speaking in Yoruba, yes, so you may not really get the import of what he’s talking about. He’s encouraging the children to take Tramadol. He’s encouraging the children to do ‘Monkey Tail.’ That is, he is eulogising all forms of illicit drugs and making it trendy.

    “Our nation is a nation on its knees. So, for us to now have a boy as popular with a huge followership,  a huge opinion moulder like Olamide aka Olamide Badoo or Olamide Adedji, to put up a song that will be to a large extent, be an opinion moulder to the way children see themselves. We must ban this song. This song must not be allowed to hit the airwaves or any kind of wave.

    Read Also: Iyanya releases visuals for ‘Good Vibes’

    “Not stopping there, for his so much celebration of what is bad about drug abuse, we should, the Nigerian government or the authorities, NDLEA, EFCC, whatever, should please save the minds of Nigerian kids. It’s enough that they walk the streets, every one of them proteting against the system in one way or the other. They do that with Rastafarian hair, Hare Krishna skull, Marxist beards, turning their fez caps the wrong way round and sagging trousers. For them now to be celebrating the use of codeine, he use of Tramadol, Skoochie – all are embedded in Olamide’s song.”

    He also urged Nigerians desirous of a positive change for the country to share his video.

    “I beg you, if you are a parent, share this. If you’re someone with a conscience, share this. If you’re someone interested in the future of this country, where our youths are already a beggarly bunch, share this because Nigeria cannot right now be at the end of the devil’s spoon. My name is Pedro Obaseki and I beg Nigerians to do the right thing.”

    He however added that Olamide’s star appeal be harnessed for the good of the youth.

    “We should get hold of Olamide and make him the ambassador of good behaviour for children because we cannot be buying his record and clicking on his links only for our children to be the ones at the receiving end of his apostate pronouncements and crusade,” he said.

    “This is enough. Enough is enuogh. I don’t only speak as a Nigerian, I speak as an investor in the Nigerian entertainment content sector. God bless Nigeria and please let’s beg Olamide to pull that video down and change that song. That is a song that is going to be a nail on the coffin of the future of our children. God bless Nigeria.”

    While no ban is yet out, Olamide’s song has continued to trend as the artiste has continued promotion of the song.

  • Edo bans use of school premises, roads for social events

    Edo bans use of school premises, roads for social events

    The Edo State Government Wednesday announced the immediate ban on the use of all premises of public schools, roads and other public places for social events.

    The ban was contained in a press statement signed by the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu.

    The government explained that it frowns at the behavior and would not accept the practice in a civilized society as ours and would therefore not condone it forthwith.

    The statement said: “By our ancestry as Edo people, we have always shown the example of public order and decency which others have emulated over the years and this administration is determined to make Edo a model of magnificence and beauty once again.”

    The statement warned that “Henceforth, any violation of this decision of government will be dealt with in accordance with extant laws” and urged all agencies of government to enforce compliance.

     

  • Stakeholders move to reverse EU ban on Nigerian produce

    Stakeholders in the agricultural sector are evolving proactive strategies aimed at improving the quality of processed goods to overcome the ban on some produce exported from the country.

    This is contained in a special survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the ban placed on some 25 exportable produce by the European Union (EU) between 2015 and last year.

    In Abeokuta, the Chairman of the Ogun branch of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr. Segun Dasaolu, informed that farmers were engaging in effective collaborative efforts with the state government in the area of training.

    He said the effort was to acquaint the farmers with the international standards and requirements for agricultural produce.

    “The state government has begun to organise series of seminars for our members on production methods, processing and packaging ?through the Ministry of Agriculture”, Dasaolu said.

    He urged the Federal Government to step up quality control management system for agricultural produce to enhance their acceptability in the global market.

    The chairman also advocated for the promotion of organic system of farming in Nigeria to boost the nutritional value of the country’s farm products.

    He said: “With organic system, we will do away with synthetic chemicals and fertilisers which constitute the major basis for the rejection of our products at the global market.

    “Although it is expensive to practise but it will guarantee high quality for our farm produce and also enhance and create wider market for our goods at the world market.”

    Prof.  Olufemi Peters, the Executive Director of the Ilorin, Kwara State-based Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), noted that the EU may have banned locally smoked fish from Nigeria because of its health hazard.

    Peters, a professor of Chemistry, said that locally smoked fish contains poly aromatic hydrocarbon which could cause cancer.

    “One of the main disadvantages of the way peasant farmers smoke their fish is the presence of what we call polyaromatic hydrocarbon in the fish’’, the don said.

    The don said the institute has designed a more environmentally-friendly smoking kiln that is free from polyaromatic hydrocarbon.

    According to Peters, the NSPRI smoking kiln is hygienic and free from any form of health hazard, adding that fish smoked by the kiln could compete with any in the world.

    He said that fish farmers could export their smoked fish to any part of the world once there is mass production of the kiln.

    However, beans farmers in Kwara called for thorough checks on chemicals used in the preservation of farm produce.

    A beans farmer, Mr Dada Olotu, said that most farmers use fake chemicals to preserve their produce, making it unsafe for consumption.

    He called on NAFDAC to check the activities of pesticide companies in order to control the influx of fake chemicals into the market.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of AFAN in the state, Mr Olawale Ajibola, said lack of basic techniques in processing farm produce was responsible for the rejection of some produce by the EU.

    He said: “One major reason those food items were rejected is because they found out after testing that the chemicals used for preservation were either too much or dangerous to health.

    “The agricultural research institutes in the country should be revived and equipped to be able to carry out necessary research and testing on food items produced in the country.”

    In Ibadan, Mr Ojedeji Joseph, the Oyo State chapter Chairman of Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria, said many produce fail the standards test abroad due to farmers and middlemen’s reluctance to follow strictly the processing regime.

    Citing the case of cocoa, Joseph said the steps to be taken in cocoa processing were depoding, fermentation, drying and storage, adding that a failure in any of these stages may lead to rejection.

    Joseph said many farmers were now feeling the impact of the ban on their income and were working assiduously to meet the standards through painstaking processing of their farm produce.

    He, however, lamented the dearth of the modern processing equipment for some produce, saying this may affect the quality of produce meant for export.

    In Ado-Ekiti, the state government said measures were being adopted toward ensuring that cash crops such as cocoa beans produced in the state and packaged for export were made to meet international standard.

    The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Kehinde Odebunmi, said farmers were incurring huge losses due to poor packaging.

     

  • ‘Ban on imported sugar stays’

    The ban on imported packaged sugar into the country by the Federal Government has not been lifted, the Executive Secretary/CEO, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Latif Busari  has said.

    Busari advised importers of sugar to either produce in Nigeria or move their products elsewhere, saying this position is in line with Section 9.3.1 (1V) of the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan as approved.

    “We have nothing against any particular brand of packaged sugar; what we are saying is that importers of sugar in retail packs should invest in local packaging facilities within and bring their equipment to Nigeria to produce under the plan,” he said.

    Busari told reporters during a press briefing on the ban on imported packaged sugar in Abuja, that those who engage in illegal importation of this banned product are daily inflicting damage no local producers in the country.

    He said, “Government cannot afford to look the other way while economic saboteurs who come under the guise of business men continue to frustrate genuine efforts geared towards building the economy, even though the policy is being defeated by the continued influx of imported packaged sugar, particularly St. Louis brand into Nigeria.

  • Burna Boy gets accolade, debunks ban in U.S

    Burna Boy gets accolade, debunks ban in U.S

    Reggae/Dancehall artiste, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, last Friday, was presented with an award of honour for ‘The Most Student Friendly Artiste in Nigeria’, by the students of University of Uyo.

    The artiste who couldn’t receive the honour because he was held up in Port-Harcourt, extended his appreciation to the students of the tertiary institution, He uploaded the award with the note, “Thank you University of Uyo for this Honor. I heard people came out in thousands hoping to see me but I got stuck in Port-Harcourt. You all mean the world to me; many thanks.”

    The artiste has debunked the report that a US Supreme Federal Court in New York reportedly slammed an injunction against him, preventing him from performing at any event venue or any form of recording anywhere in USA and Canada for the time being unless he settles with the New York- based promotion company, Vibesland Entertainment, LLC, founded by promoter/producer, Niyi Fatogun.

    A statement by Burna Boy’s team reads; “Burna Boy fans and the general public are hereby informed that Burna’s current US tour and all upcoming shows are going forward as scheduled and that any website or article containing information to the contrary is patently false and misleading.

  • ‘No plan to ban exporters of unprocessed minerals’

    The Federal Government will not ban individuals or companies that export unprocessed solid minerals until it grows the sector to its full potential, an aide to the Mines and Steel Minister, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, has said.

    He said the Ministry had neither penciled any institution for proscription nor used any of its agencies to stop people from exporting unprocessed mineral resources Europe or other continents as claimed in some quarters.

    He said instead, the government was focusing on how to develop the sector by providing incentives to local and foreign investors, who want to build plants for processing solid minerals into other products in the country.

    In an interview with The Nation in Lagos, he said the Ministry and the Federal Government were interested in making the sector a major contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by welcoming investors into the industry.

    Oyebode said such incentives include equipment leasing, funding, expertise, less stringent import requirements, access to funding, and tax holiday.

    He said investors might enjoy tax holiday, a development, that would exclude them from paying taxes over  time. According to him, investors will be provided with information that would aid excavation.

    He added that the idea would enable investors to know where, how and why the plants should be sited at a location.

    He said mining equipment were expensive, adding that the incentives would help investors to mitigate their costs.

    Oyebode, a Senior Special Assistant(SSA) Media, Dr Kayode Fayemi, said a conducive environment was vital to the sector’s growth, adding that the idea would enable the Federal Government to achieve its goals of diversifying the economy by not depending only on crude oil.

    He said: “Though the government is not happy that its people are exporting unprocessed minerals, it is not interested in banning the firms that engage in such activities. Rather, the government is concentrating on how to grow the sector by providing incentives to investors that intend to build processing plants in the country. By so doing, Nigeria would be enjoying some value additions where the solid minerals are taken for processing and not countries abroad.

    “Venezula extracts petrochemical materials from Nigerian crude oil, among deriving other value additions. To prevent this in solid minerals, the Federal Government wants investors to build plants for processing of minerals such as gold and other minerals into finished products.

    “For instance, if a mining processing plant is cited in Ibadan (South west) or Kaduna in the North and it creates 1,000 jobs or more, it will have a multiplier effect on the economy as many people will benefit from it.’’

  • Ban on 41 items stays, says CBN

    Ban on 41 items stays, says CBN

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday refuted claim that it has reversed part of its policy on the none-ligibility of some import items for forex sale on the interbank forex market. The apex bank said it has not reversed its policy on the ineligibility of the 41 items for forex sale through the interbank forex market.

    It said the report followed wrong interpretations of its circular titled: Revised Documentation Requirements for Allocation of foreign exchange for Small-Scale Importation dated May 03, 2017, to the effect that importers of items classified as “Not valid for Forex” with transactions value of $20,000 and below per quarter shall now qualify for allocation of foreign exchange subject to the completion of form Q”.

    “This provision does not refer to the 41 items that remain ineligible for forex sale in the interbank market,” it said in a statement.

    lThe apex bank had in 2015, placed a restriction on 41 items for which importers could no longer get dollars, including rice, toothpicks, cement, private jets, steel products, plastics and rubber, soap, cosmetics, furniture, Indian incense and foreign bonds.

    Aimed at conserving  foreign reserves, the move curbed access to dollars for importers of  a wide range of goods, helped fuel the currency black market and worsened investor perceptions about policy in the economy.

    Last month the bank cut the amount of paperwork needed for small firms to buy dollars, to ease doing business and help narrow the gap between official and black market exchange rates. It said it will offer them up to $20,000 per quarter.

  • Consumers fault FG’s ban on tomato importation

    Consumers fault FG’s ban on tomato importation

    Majority of consumers are reacting cynically to federal government’s pronouncement on the importation of tomato paste, powder or concentrate, and the increased tariff on importation of tomato concentrate from five to 50 per cent.
    Their reactions stem mostly from the fact that, according to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Nigeria’s domestic demand for tomato is 2.3 million tonnes annually while only 1.8 million tonnes is produced.
    The shortfall of 500,000 tonnes is made up of imported tomato paste, powder and concentrate.
    Another reason for consumers skepticism towards the latest government pronouncement on tomato, arises from what they term ‘the failure of such past government policies’ with many citing the recent ban on the importation of rice, frozen poultry in order to revive local rice, poultry farming but which only resulted in the hike of the prices of the products concerned.
    According to a research by the Agricultural Economics Department of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, tomato constitutes 18per cent of all vegetables consumed by Nigeria’s 180 million populace.
    The federal government, had through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, banned the importation of tomato paste, powder or concentrate, and increased the tariff on importation of tomato concentrate among others from five to 50 per cent in order to revive the tomato sector.
    According to operators, the value of imported tomato paste in Nigeria is about $170 million and $50 million spent on triple tomato concentrate.
    The Federal Ministry of Industry and Trade and Investment in a document titled ‘Implementation of the tomato sector policy’, which was signed by the Director, Industry Development of the ministry, Mr. Adewale Bakare, stated that such action would revive the sector, create jobs and preserve foreign exchange.
    He said, “Government has overtime engaged tomato industry stakeholders on ways to deepen the industry and particularly, encourage the use of locally produced tomato fruits across the value chain. It is in that regard that I am directed to bring to your notice the decision of the government towards boosting production and attracting investments into the tomato sector.
    “These include ‘classification of greenhouse equipment as agricultural equipment to attract zero per cent import duty. Ban on the importation of tomato paste, powder or concentrate put up for retailing and others. Ban on tomato prepared or preserved by vinegar or acetic acid and others.
    “Increase in the tariff on the tomato concentrate and other concentrates (HS Code 2002.90.11.000) from five percent to 50 percent and additional levy of $1,500 per metric tons with the objective of increasing the current tariff from five percent to 50 percent (35percent +5 percent+10 percent) and an additional levy of US$1,500 metric ton.
    ”Banning is a good move but has the government made provisions on ground to meet local demand of tomato? Very soon there will be scarcity of tomato in the market,” regretted Mrs. Doga Odusile, a trader at Iddo Market, Lagos.
    Noting that there are few tomato factories in Nigeria, another trader at the market, Alhaji Idris Garuba, asked: “How many tomato factories do we have in Nigeria? Do we even have competent regulatory agencies to check mate the operations of those factories?”
    “That is always the problem of Nigeria. We make policies without thinking deeply of the shortcoming. Those producing locally cannot satisfy the demands of the entire populace and we all know what the law of demand and supply says,” said a staff of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria [MAN] who craved anonymity.
    In the words of Mrs. Grace Akintunde, a civil servant with Lagos State: “I tell you, people will still find a way to pay the tariff and then transfer the exorbitant prices on final consumers. This will further compound the already worsening condition of average Nigerians. God should just please have mercy on us.”
    “This is exactly what happened when government through the former NAFDAC chairman, Dr. Paul Orhii, decided to enforce the ban on the importation of poultry. While the importers and most government officials detailed to enforce the ban got richer, the price of poultry skyrocketed (both imported and local poultry) putting more pressure on the masses. Eventually what happened? Has the policy not failed? Is frozen poultry not on display everywhere?” lamented Dr. Afam Okechukwu.
    “As usual, another okay policy that would not work due to lack of infrastructure,” regretted Engineer Ibe. Speaking further, he noted that the policy will bring about a 100 per cent rise in the cost of imported tomato paste while there will not be a significant decrease in the importation.”
    Also while labour union officials in some of the local tomato canning companies are calling on the government to be given the latitude to plan for backward integration, most of the producers who plant tomato and can manufacture paste locally are lauding government’s decision on the ban.
    The President, National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees, Lateef Oyelekan, had earlier stated in a press communique that local tomato companies should be given the latitude to plan for backward integration.
    According to him, the quantity of fresh tomato being cultivated currently in the country is not enough for local consumption and the quality is not good enough to be processed into paste.
    Oyelekan pointed out that “it would take years for the planting, harvesting and processing of the produce into concentrate.”
    Disagreeing with the stand of the Tomato Labour Union, Chief Eric Umeofia, the Chief Executive Officer of Erisco Foods Ltd, manufacturer of Ric-Giko tomato paste, countered that Nigeria has the capacity to grow and produce enough tomato paste for local consumption and even for exportation.
    Making references to his tomato plant, he said, “the plant has the capacity to meet our tomato paste local needs, hence there is no need for the importation of tomato paste or concentrate anymore. We have to increase our investments in order to meet the Nigeria export needs.”
    He averred that “full local of production of tomato paste in Nigeria will not only create millions of jobs, it will also save us an enormous amount of foreign exchange.”
    Also, Alhaji Abdulkarim Kaita, the Managing Director of Dangote Tomato Processing Company, Kadawa, Kano State, commended the federal government for banning the importation of tomato paste into the country.

  • ‘Nigeria saves $5m daily from ban on wheat importation’

    The Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has said President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s policy on the ban of importation of rice and wheat has enabled the country to save $5 million daily.

    Ogbeh  spoke in Garun Baba Village in Kano during the 2017 Wheat Farm Harvest ceremony.

    He said: “The tariff increase introduced in December last year saw the import duty on rice increased from 10 to 60 percent in an effort to increase local production of the product.”

    Ogbeh added that the policy option had created wealth for farmers and those in the farm produce value chain.

    “The rice you grow, the wheat you grow is saving Nigeria a lot of money. Before now we were spending $5 million a day importing rice from Thailand. Now that money is in the hands and pockets of farmers in Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi and other parts of the country.

    “That is why farmers are getting richer, before now the money was going to some other places and the poverty was coming here, that era is gone,” he noted.

    He said the figure represented the amount of money being spent on the importation of those farm produce before the ban and tariff increase policies were introduced about a year ago.

    Ogbeh commended Kano State Government and farmers for the rice, saying it has expelled recession from the state and supplied food to needy states.

    ‘’I’m proud of you and thank you for all your effort. I know if we give you the right support as we are trying to do, you can feed the whole nation and there will be no hunger in Nigeria,” he added.

    He said further production was being encouraged through reduction of fertiliser price to N6,000 a bag by the government via an arrangement with the Moroccan Government.

    On herdsmen/farmers’ clashes and cattle rustling, the minister said grazing reserves were being created across the federation, with accommodation, human and veterinary clinics, water and schools, among others, to stop herdsmen from roaming about.

    “Similarly, the good news is that 3,000 Civil Defence operatives are being trained by the Nigeria Army to combat issues of cattle rustling perpetrated on those rearing cattle by hoodlums,” he noted.

    On the occasion, the Governor , Dr. Abdulahi Umar Ganduje, said the wheat being harvested was a by-product of a N100 million interest-free loan extended to 10,000 farmers in the state late last year.

    He said the farmers were also given moratorium not to pay the loan immediately so that they could re-invest the money in their farms as well as introduce new measures on harvest and post harvest.

    “To prevent post-harvest losses, the state government has made available the sum of N50 million naira as loan for them to tap into and meet their immediate needs in order to stop them from selling the wheat product at low price,” Ganduje said.

    He said combined harvester machines have been provided to ease the process of harvesting the wheat, adding that warehouses and stores have been provided in various parts of the state for the farmers to store their products till the point of sales free of charge, adding that “wheat millers and sellers will be mobilised to buy the produce when farmers are ready to sell.”