The House of Representative on Wednesday rejected a bill seeking tomake it mandatory for the inclusion of cassava in the production of all flour products in Nigeria.
President Goodluck Jonathan (R), givinga piece of cassava bread to the Vice President Namadi Sambo during the launching of the bread at the FEC meeting in Abuja.
The bill titled: “A bill for an act to providefor the mandatory inclusion of cassava inthe production of all flour in Nigeria and for other matters connected therewith,” subsequently failed to pass second reading.
The bill which is an executive bill had proposed that it was incumbent on the parliament to enact a law that would make its inclusion in all flours compulsoryas it will not only be in line with PresidentGoodluck Jonathan’s initiative on cassava.
President Goodluck Jonathan had launched the cassava bread campaign early this year at the State House, publicly announcing his choice for the bread and encouraging Nigerians and government officials to adopt the variety as a boost for cassava production.
According to the Minister of Agriculture, Adewunmi Adesina the use of cassava flour would save Nigeria N250 billion in foreign exchange from reduced import ofwheat and wheat flour.
Peter Edeh (PDP, Edo) who led the opposition against the bill argued that compelling manufacturers of flour to include cassava would amount to compelling Nigerians to eat products thatmay be injurious to their health.
“30 to 40 per cent of Nigerians are diabetic and it will be unfair to compel them to eat cassava products since mostdiabetic patients are barred from consuming foods such as cassava,” he said.
“It will be impinging on people’s rights and endangering their lives to compulsorily include cassava in what theyeat.”
At the end of the debate, the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha conducted a voice vote and the lawmakers unanimously voted ‘Nil’ to the bill.
Majority of lawmakers who kicked against the proposal advised the government to find alternative ways of enhancing the exportation of cassava instead of forcing people to consume it.
Source
http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/05/23/lawmakers-reject-jonathans-cassava-bread/

Thank God ooo. See me see wahala?? Which one be to FORCE me to eat cassava bread? This yeye people wan ruin my diet? ROFLMAO!

If I wan chop whole wheat bread, I have the right to chop whole wheat bread. Abeg, President and his business dons should carry there Cassava hybrid bread go siddon somewhere ooo. I no even know say dem serious like this.