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Tag: Heineken Lokpobiri

  • ECOWAS advices against substandard agric produce

    ECOWAS advices against substandard agric produce

    Mr Ernest Aubee, the ECOWAS Principal Programme Officer, Agriculture, has advised against the smuggling and importation of substandard agricultural produce into member states.

    Aubee told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, that the development was totally `unacceptable.’’

    Aubee was reacting to complaints by seafood dealers on the activities of fish smugglers hiding under the guise of the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of people, goods and services.

    “No one should trade in commodities that are going to be detrimental to a fellow member state.

    “You cannot take something that is sub-standard or something that is bad and move it from country A to country B to make money.

    “It is unacceptable for anybody to try to dump substandard food in any ECOWAs member states.

    “It is also unacceptable if you decide to violate not just the regional but also the national laws of a country when it comes to food quality, food safety issues.

    “My appeal to all business people in fisheries or in other agricultural commodities is to respect the regulations, the protocols on free movement of peoples, goods and services.

    “Also respect other protocols dealing with the marketing products from one place to another,’’ he said.

    According to him, the protocol on free movement of people, goods and services does not promote illegality among member countries.

    Aubee commended the Agricultural Promotion Policy of the Federal Government known as the Green Alternative.

    He said the policy was building on the successes of previous agricultural policies aimed at improving the sector.

    The official also lauded the efforts of the government in rice production, saying it would guarantee export to other ECOWAS member states.

    NAN recalled that the Association of Indigenous Sea Food Stakeholders led by its National Chairman, Mr Lamina Rasheed, had complained about the continuous smuggling of fish through the land borders.

    Following this complain, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, set up a task force to clamp down on offenders.

    The minister also announced a fine of 250,000 dollar or five years’ imprisonment or both as punishment for offenders, in addition to the forfeiture and destruction of the product.

     

  • More states to benefit from rural roads construction – RAMP Coordinator

    The Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP), says more states will be selected to participate in the third phase of rural roads construction to ensure farmer’s access to markets and reduce post-harvest losses.

    This was part of a communiqué issued at the end of the National Sensitisation Workshop on the Selection of States to participate in the third phase of the agency’s project in Abuja.

    RAMP, a Federal Government agency saddled with the responsible of rural roads construction, noted that selected states must meet up with the laid down criteria.

    The communiqué which was signed by the agency’s National Coordinator,  Mr Ularamu Ubandoma, also added that counterpart funding is critical for the execution of RAMP project in the state.

    According to the communiqué, more states than was done under RAMP II will be considered to participate under RAMP III. States must also comply with the conditions of selection criteria to be qualified.

    “Also, Counterpart funding will be necessary in RAMP project because maintenance component of the project will require counterpart.

    “It advises all communities along the corridor of the road must form cooperative societies in order to maintain and protect the roads as they are the direct beneficiaries.

    “Interested states should submit their responses to the selection criteria on or before May 30 for consideration,” the communiqué read.

    Earlier, the minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, said operation of RAMP was in line with the guidelines between the Federal Government and the development partners.

    He expressed his conviction with more states embracing RAMP strategy, the country would achieve its plans toward building a nation that would feed itself and export.

    The minister noted that agriculture was the most veritable alternative in the face of the socio-economic realities confronting the country, stating that RAMP was the agency to turn-around the country’s economy.

    The workshop held in Abuja was attended by 91 participate, 24 states that indicated interest in the third phase of the project known as RAMP III with the Federal Capital Territory.

  • Frozen foods importers risk five years jail term and …

    Frozen foods importers risk five years jail term and …

    The Federal Government has warned smugglers of frozen foods, especially fishes to desist from the criminal act otherwise, face five years jail term or pay a $250, 000 fine.

    The Minister of State Agriculture, Heineken Lokpobiri gave the warning on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting with the National Association of Nigerian Sea Foods Stakeholders.

    He condemned increasing rate of importing unwholesome frozen foods such as Tilapia, Red Pacus, River Bream, Pangasius, Horse Mackerel, Sardine, Croaker into the country stressing that anyone caught will be duly prosecuted according to the law.‎

    According to him, it is illegal to import frozen foods through the land borders, adding that the circulation of unhealthy fish and fishery products in the local market has resulted in serious health implications such as kidney disease, cancer among others.

    Lokpobiri said: “The ministry is using this medium to warn all those involved, colluding, aiding and abetting in these nefarious activities to stop or face the full wrath of the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Importation of fish without a licence attracts 5year imprisonment or a fine of $250,000 or both, in addition to forfeiture and destruction of the vessel and its products.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has put in place measures to arrest, detain and prosecute offenders as provided in the sea Fisheries Act Cap S4 laws of the Federation 2004. Such persons would be dealt with as criminals and economic saboteurs”

    •Heaps of seized frozen poultry
    •Heaps of seized frozen poultry

    Heineken revealed that the federal government has taken advisory from the Central Bank in the allocation of 800,000mt quota for frozen fish importation to bridge the 1.2million demand gap.

    To check the illegal activities the minister stated that the government has been collaborating with countries in the Gulf of Guinea, Nigerian Customs Service, Maritime Police, Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Agriculture Quarantine Service (NAQS).

    He noted that “if we are unable to get these people before smuggling the product into the country, we will deploy our officers to begin inspection of the cold rooms and by next week I personally will go to some of these cold rooms to inspect.”

    In his remark, the National President of the association, Mr Lamina Rasheed pointed out that importers are made to pay 14 percent of their total cargo to the federal government, unfortunately, smuggler pay nothing, making it difficult for licenced operators to favourably compete with them.

    Fish-Import-NigeriaIntelImported fish

    He lamented that Frozen fish imported by the licenced operators are wallowing in the Cold Rooms because the smugglers have flooded the market with their product selling at any price range as against them.

    He said: “The smugglers have done a lot of damage, we have a lot of stock now in the cold room that we ate unable to sell due to the activities of these unpatriotic people”.

    Reacting to why prices of frozen fish have gone up in the market, Lamina said the CBN was no longer providing forex for frozen fish operators as the product has being delisted from CBN list.

    “So we have to source for forex from the black market at N520 – N465 to $1 so for us to make profits, the consumer bears the brunt. We are appealing to the CBN to. Include Frozen fish on their list so that operators would be able to get forex at a cheaper rate which also translates to cheaper fish for consumers”, he stated.

  • FG to prosecute illegal importers of frozen fish

    FG to prosecute illegal importers of frozen fish

    …seal offenders cold room

    The Federal Government says it will henceforth arrest, prosecute and fine illegal importers of frozen foods into the country through the land borders and seal cold rooms where it is sold.

    Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development, announced this while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.

    Lokpobiri said the government would also set up a taskforce to seal and prosecute operators of cold room, who deal on those illegally imported produce.

    The minister said the ministry was working in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Marine Police to actualise the plan.

    He said the offenders would pay a fine of $250,000 or attract five years imprisonment or both in addition to the forfeiture and destruction of the produce as stipulated by the law.

    He listed some of the fishes usually being imported to include tilapia, red pacus, river bream, pangassius, horse mackerel, sardine and croaker, among others.

    Lokpobiri said the illegal venture had resulted to huge loss of revenue, decrease in local production and loss of jobs, as well as discouragement by farmers.

    The minister, who said that the move was to encourage local production and exports, disclosed that the country’s annual demand on fish was currently at 3.2 million tonnes and deficit at 1.9 million tonnes.

    According to him, the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the ministry is the only competent authority empowered by the Nigeria Sea Fisheries Act to issue distant water fishing licence for the importation of frozen fish into Nigeria.

    “The department does not issue licence for the importation of frozen farmed fish into Nigeria through the land borders.

    “The smuggling of unhealthy frozen fish into the country is detrimental to the progress being made toward guaranteeing the good health and nutrition of Nigerians.

    “We will continue to partner with the Nigeria Customs Service, the Navy, marine policy to see how we can clamp down on the offenders.

    “Even those that have brought the produce into the country, we are setting up a taskforce that will go round different cold rooms, like what Customs is doing to rice.

    “Any cold room that we find these fishes, we will seal them up, ensure you pay the $250,000 fine because laws are meant to be obeyed,’’ he said.

    The minister said that consumption of those imported frozen foods were major cause of some health challenges being experienced in the country.

    Lokpobiri, who frowned at the rising cases of kidney disease among children between the ages of five and seven, assured that the government would fight the menace to a halt.

    In an interview, Mr. Lamina Rasheed, the National Chairman, Association of Indigenous Seafood Stakeholders, appealed to the Federal Government to release foreign exchange (FOREX) for the importation of fish.

    He said that getting FOREX at a cheaper rate would ensure reduction in the price of the produce and make it affordable.

    The chairman said the illegal importation of fishes was detrimental to their business.

    Rasheed said that members of the association paid import duty of 14 per cent, which amounted to millions of naira to the Federal Government while the illegal importers pay next to nothing through the land borders.

    According to him, it is difficult to compete with them in the market because they slash their prices.

    He attributed the high cost of fish to the current exchange rate, adding that the frozen fish did not enjoy FOREX from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    “Before, we were getting FOREX from the government but now, we are buying from the open market.

    “When you pay 14 per cent and somebody is paying zero per cent, how do you sell your commodity?

    “Therefore, all the fishes we brought legally into the country are currently stocked in the cold room because we cannot afford to lose our money or bank’s money.

    “We have a lot of stocks in the cold room, which are unsold,’’ Rasheed said.

     

  • Nigeria’s $22b yearly food imports bill unsustainable, says minister

    Nigeria’s $22b yearly food imports bill unsustainable, says minister

    Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development  Heineken Lokpobiri has said Nigeria’s $22 billion food import bill is no longer sustainable.

    He spoke yesterday during an inspection of  the National Agriculture Seed Council (NASC) in Sheda, Abuja.

    He said the NASC had a vital role to play for the Federal Government to realise its Green Alternative Agriculture Development Roadmap.

    The minister said it was imperative for the Federal Government to empower, strengthen and further equip the seed council in order to develop high quality seeds for farmers to realise the food security programme of the government.

    He said NASC was already leading seed agency in the entire West African region and has contributed immensely to supporting West African nations such as Cameroon, Zambia among others.

    According to him, Nigeria provides about 70 per cent of seeds used in the sub-region.

    Lokpobiri, who frowned at the $22 billion annual food import bill, said: “We are at a very critical time in our nation building. The cardinal objective of this administration is to see how we can feed ourselves in the shortest possible time because we can no longer afford the import bill of $22 billion on staple foods. So the objective of this government is to be able to produce enough food for ourselves and export.

    “A lot of the food we produce should be used as export to earn dollars. The foundation of all these objectives is the availability of quality seeds. The mandate of the Seed Council is so fundamental that the objective of providing enough food can never be achieved unless the Council is supported in any way possible to provide the seeds that are needed. It is also interesting to note that Nigeria provides for about 70 per cent of the seeds used in the West Africa.”

    He advised the Council to create a commercial unit and increase the number of accredited seed companies from current 157 to 500 in order to device alternative source of revenue for its funding needs.

    Earlier, NASC Director-General, Dr. Philip Ojo said the council was established in 1992 primarily to regulate and ensure distribution of quality seeds.

    He said the Council is committed to building a market-driven seed industry for production and distribution of good seeds to farmers across the country.

    However, he urged the federal government to equip the council as seed center of excellence in Africa, adding that the structures needed renovation and more staffs.

    The Director-General added that the council also needed a strong regulation in order to prosecute fake seed companies.

    “Liberalisation of foundation seeds has helped develop the seed industry. The government no longer deals with foundation seeds. The private sector is encouraged in this area. So that led to the development of the seed industry from 5, 000 metric tons annually in 2007 to 122, 000 metric tons of certified seed in 2014,” Ojo stated.

  • Bayelsa: Lokpobiri votes

    Bayelsa: Lokpobiri votes

    At 12pm, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, voted at his polling Unit 2, Ward 8, Ekeremor Town, Ekeremor Local Government Area.

  • Dickson, Lokpobiri disagree over attacks, violence

    Dickson, Lokpobiri disagree over attacks, violence

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who is also the Director-General of Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organisation, have disagreed over attacks and violence associated with today’s governorship election.

    It was gathered that few hours before the commencement of accreditation of voters for today’s election, the country home of Lokpobiri came under heavy attacks by gunmen.

    According to eyewitnesses, thugs hired by Dickson and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stormed Lokpobiri’s residence in Ekeremor, the headquarters of riverine Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa state in the early hours of this morning.

    It was further revealed that the thugs overpowered security men deployed in Ekeremor and made their way into the minister’s compound, causing mayhem, with the Senator (Lokpobiri) and others inside the house.

    The security personnel attached to the minster made attempts to restore normalcy, but the attacks intensified, as the PDP thugs, led by Tolu Amatolo, intensified the attacks and took over the entire Ekeremor community.

    The Director, Media and Publicity of Sylva-Igiri Campaign Organisation, Chief Nathan Egba, insisted that Dickson imported the thugs who carried out the attacks in Ekeremor and other parts of Bayelsa state from neighbouring Delta and Rivers States.

    In his reaction, Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, quoted his boss as accusing Lokpobiri of sponsoring thugs, who he said were adorned in police and army uniforms and unleashing mayhem on PDP supporters and disrupting the electoral process.

    Iworiso-Markson stated that the Bayelsa governor spoke to reporters after his accreditation at Ward 2 of his Toru Orua hometown in Sagbama LGA, while decrying the failure of the card readers.

  • Amaechi, five others listed for screening

    Amaechi, five others listed for screening

    Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and five other ministerial nominees have been listed for Thursday’s screening at the Senate.

    Other nominees that will face the lawmakers on Thursday are – Heineken Lokpobiri, Claudius Omoleye Daramola, Prof. Adewole Isaac, Shehuri Mustapha and Ocholi James.

  • Senate committee applauds FG on water projects 

    The Senate Committee on Water Resources yesterday applauded the Federal Government’s effort in the construction of Kashimbila multipurpose dam and other projects.

    The chairman of the committee, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, made the commendation during budget defense by the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, in Abuja.

    He commended the minister for 2013 budget implementation, adding that construction of dams with hydropower component as well as provision of potable drinking water were projects that require huge amount of money.

    Lokpobiri noted that finance was a major challenge in the completion of projects in the sector.

    Ochekpe said that the present administration was committed to provision of water to Nigerians.

    She said provision of potable water was on the concurrent list of the constitution, adding that the three tiers of government have shared responsibly.

    “While the federal government provides bulk water, it is the responsibility of the states to ensure that such water is reticulated, treated, and distributed to the end users,” she said.

    She explained that if the 2014 appropriation is approved most of the ongoing dam projects across the country would be completed.

    The minister solicited for support of the committee to ensure timely completion of all ongoing projects.