The federal government says it will shut down the land border between Nigeria and a neigbouring country in a few days time to avoid smuggling of foreign rice into the country.

Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture and rural development, made the disclosure in Abuja on Monday while speaking with youths in a leadership clinic under the auspices of Guardians of the Nation International (GOTNI).

Ogbeh did not mention the particular country and border but noted that the action had become necessary to encourage local production and sustain the economy of the country.

The minister said a neighbouring country was bent on destroying the economy of the country and discouraging local production of rice, hence the need to shut down the border.

“Our other problem is smuggling. As we speak, a neighbor of ours is importing more rice than China is importing,” he said.

“They do not eat parboiled rice, they eat white rice, they use their ports to try and damage our economy.

“I am telling you now because in a few days, you will hear the border has been shut, we are going to shut it to protect you, us and protect our economy.

“You will start seeing all sorts of negative things on the internet. Let me tell you why we need to shut the border, I grow rice, I was the first Nigerian to mill rice free of stones, if you plant rice in certain parcels of land, some poisonous materials gets into the rice.

“There are three kinds of water in their natural state; there is fresh water from the river, salt water from the sea, blackish water.

“If you go to the Delta in many countries, in South East Asia where they grow the rice, if you plant rice in the same place like four to six years continuously, the quantum of arsenic begins to increase and arsenic causes cancer and that is what they are dumping for us.

“Some people say they prefer Thai rice because they are very sophisticated, welcome to poison.”

He said the federal government in two years reduced rice importation by 95 percent and increased the number of rice farmers from five to 30 million.

The minister said states like Anambra, Ebonyi, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa were doing well in rice production.

“We just have to handwork you to prosperity otherwise, this country will not grow. My wish for you is to have a better time that we had,” Ogbeh said.



https://www.thecable.ng/minister-says-fg-will-shut-land-border-days-curb-rice-smuggling/amp?__twitter_impression=true

stupid people

the money only one senator loots is enough to build a border wall I don't know the problem of African leaders.

“Some people say they prefer Thai rice because they are very sophisticated morons, welcome to poison"

If they were smuggled rice in Nigeria at the price it is selling means when they will stop smuggling it, it can sell for 30k per bag of local rice.

You can't put an end to rice importation in Nigeria....The Gwagi rice that Buhari is bragging about is sand-filled and gets soft easily....

How will our local rice producers pick up a challenge and probably improve on their products if the market isn't open for foreign rice in the country??


Buhari is a total disaster!!!

This will increase hunger but is a good policy.

When you hear land border, it is From Ogun to Lagos they are talking about. What of the porous northern borders where aliens breach with reckless abandon. If I were the president, I would fence off Chad, Niger and co. Customs and Immigration officers will be posted to those areas (1yr rotational posting).

Nigeria seem to have the intent of improving the economy..

The problem is this government lacks strategic move..

Why would you shut down border at the time when rice production in nigeria is low??

I think the right thing to do is for the government to increase rice production in nigeria even if they are not selling but they store it to a very great quqntity untill they close the border inorder to prevent gross recession...

My opinion, if you don't like it please don't insult.. Move along please..

Senselin:
When you hear land border, it is From Ogun to Lagos they are talking about. What of the porous northern borders where aliens breach with reckless abandon. If I were the president, I would fence off Chad, Niger and co. Customs and Immigration officers will be posted to those areas (1yr rotational posting).

You grow rice abi? And because we are not patronising you sheepishly you now want us to patronise you forcefully by shutting boarders abi?

Well done Minister Audu Ogbeh, you try.

If that's the case, I will change my diet to macaroni and spaghetti instead of your stone rice.

I rise!

How about maning our borders against the many fulanis entering from Senegal,Chad, Niger.

We like noise in this country

lukotony:


The minister said states like Anambra, Ebonyi, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa were doing well in rice production.


https://www.thecable.ng/minister-says-fg-will-shut-land-border-days-curb-rice-smuggling/amp?__twitter_impression=true

Where are those that said Ogun produce rice more than all the southeast states, with their Oluwale statistics they paraded all over social Media, every propaganda and lies has expiring date,
few weeks after they pushed those fake statistics, their lies were exposed through their fake rice pyramid.

from the minister

These are commercial rice producing states
Anambra
Ebonyi
Kabbi
Kano
Jigawa

Not those states that stock pile foreign rice from January to December and rebrand them, only to push little to distributors in markets and share 25kg to civil servants during Christmas period and invite all media houses to claim they are major rice producer. What a shame!!

yanabasee:
You can't put an end to rice importation in Nigeria....The Gwagi rice that Buhari is bragging about is sand-filled and gets soft easily....

How will our local rice producers pick up a challenge and probably improve on their products if the market isn't open for foreign rice in the country??


Buhari is a total disaster!!!

A total disaster & international failure.

Senselin:
When you hear land border, it is From Ogun to Lagos they are talking about. What of the porous northern borders where aliens breach with reckless abandon. If I were the president, I would fence off Chad, Niger and co. Customs and Immigration officers will be posted to those areas (1yr rotational posting).

Failed gonment!

well, minister of agriculture. without minding words i think you are on the right track. please close the border so that i can sell my rice on high price. am a farmer and i can boastfully say I've benefited from buhari agricultural policies.

Watch out Benin Republic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7R4PkREPHM

Nigeria Custom Says Smuggling Is Killing the Ecomony