FOOD SECURITY: Group Canvasses Importation Of Rice Through Seaports

Worried about food shortages in the country and high cost living , the Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers and Exporters Coalition has called on the federal government to have a rethink by lifting the ban on rice importation through the seaports.

The group noted that the issues of insecurity by terrorists and herdsmen against incessant attacks on farmers have led to the high cost of food in the Nigerian market, saying that importation of the staple food through the ports would bring about competitiveness between the local and foreign rice dealers.

Recall that in 2015, the Central Bank of Nigeria  on behalf of the Federal Government placed a ban on 41 imported items (rice included), from accessing foreign foreign exchange.

Apparently worried about the shortage of the staple food, National Coordinator, Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers Exporters Coalition, Sir Osita Chukwu Patrick told our correspondent in Lagos on Monday, that the hardship would continue to bite harder on the common man during the yuletide adding that the ban on rice from the international frontiers have not yielded the desire results of the federal government rather causing more arms to the masses.

According to him,ban on rice also affected the revenue profile of customs commands and formations noting that between the period of ban on the staple food, the prices of local rice have continued to soar higher as unexpectedly..

He also called on the incoming administration to look inward and addressing importation of rice and other commodities like tomato pastes from the international frontiers .

He stated that avoidance of ban on  the staple food as part of measures to food security, would curb hunger in the country.

He also advocated that at least for the next six months, government should open the borders and seaports in a bid to allow the flow of rice into the country and compare with what was obtained in the last seven years of the ban.

Patrick stated that statistics analysis should be taken seriously to ascertain if the country was benefitting on the ban or not saying that six importation of the staple food would cushion the effect of the suffering of many.

“The ban has made us not to feed ourselves. Why can’t the government lift the ban on rice importation because the one we have locally cannot feed us, we cannot afford it and the rice is not available in the market.

“Government should lift ban on rice and allow the commodity to come in through the seaports and borders because the closure of the frontiers have failed to yield the desire results.

The port activist further stressed that”Rice is the only staple food available for Nigerians. The ban is not favourable for the common man , government should look inland towards balance of trade and allow for competition between local and foreign dealers of the commodity.

“Government should embark on statistical analysis data,  get feedback about the market value from consumers and traders because the commodity is very experience in the local markets. This has become an issue as far as the season is concern.”

 

By Roland Ekama