[size=15pt]Ban on importation of rice underway -Jonathan[/size]

On November 17, 2011 · In News , Tweet

BY DANIEL IDONOR



ABUJA — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, Friday, hinted of his plan to ban rice importation in his budget speech which he will soon present to the National Assembly.

The United States Agency for International Development, USAID, in a report entitled “Nigeria rice value chain analysis,” had put rice importation at three million metric tonnes annually with a total value of N468 billion ($3 billion).

President Jonathan who spoke while receiving the report of the Northern Economic Summit organised by the Professor Jerry Gana led G_20 Group, said Nigeria can no longer rely on rice import most of which have been stored in silos for more than 10 years, to feed her population.



The G-20 Group made up of eminent politicians of Northern extraction had, March 17, 2011 organised the First Northern Economic Summit in Kaduna.

Jonathan said: “If you have exotic taste for foreign rice, then be prepared to fly your private jet abroad to buy it, as I will make a major pronouncement on rice in my budget speech to the National Assembly soon”.

The President dismissed foreign rice as lacking nutrient saying that after they have been preserved with so much chemicals for over 10 years, the commodity is again polished on its way to Africa.

He stated that Nigeria has adequate arable land that can be tilled to grow enough food for Nigerians and even feed the rest of Africa, insisting that his resolve to revolutionise the agriculture sector remains unshakeable.

He argued that for the poverty index of the agriculture_driven North Central Zone to be better than of the highly industrialised South_West Zone, is a testimony of the huge and great potentials that abound in the agriculture sector.



Aspiration

of the North



While assuring the group of his administration sincere intention to cooperate with it in any area that can be beneficial to the aspiration of the North, Jonathan expressed optimism that if crude oil can be found in neighbouring countries around the North, then there could be oil in the region, saying that ongoing search would continue.

The President who noted the link between politics and economy, said a bad economy would naturally breed violence and many other social vices, saying that the first interest of his government is the economy.

Earlier, the leader of the group, Professor Jerry Gana, had told the President that “the report identified challenges and constraints such as poor energy supply; weak physical infrastructure; and weak governance systems drained by corruption, as current impediment facing the North.

He listed other factors to include lack of finance for private sector investments; inadequate human capital development; policy inconsistencies and ineffective institutional frameworks for development administration, saying that added to these are recent internal security challenges.

The group in its prayer asked the federal government to assist in the “provision of substantial funds to facilitate exploration activities for oil and gas in chad Basin, Benue trough, Bida Basin, Sokoto-Rima Basin, among others; Hydro-electric power transmission lines, especially the proposed Super grid of 765kv, with the following networks: Mambila-Makurdi-Ajaokuta-Gwagwalada-Kano, Ajaokuta-Oshogbo-Papalanto, and Mambila-Jalingo-Yola.

He also urged the government rehabilitate federal roads in the North; Revival of irrigation systems through River Basins Development Authorities; development of mini-hydro power sta

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/11/ban-on-importation-of-rice-underway-jonathan/

Everyday I ask myself why this fool(GEJ) added a monopolist worth Billions of nairas dollars into the Economic Management Team. There was a reason why Ngozi Okonjo didn't add him to the team in the first place. She as an economist knows the detriment. How now is she going to introduce measures that will prevent monopolies so that the economy and standard of living can increase. I know GEJ got his degree in Zoology but damn! SMH

2morrow dey boast of being billionaires becos of ingenuity and originality. Hilarious!! billionaires on governmental aid.

on the other hand he's lifting the ban on importation substandard cars, just because, Hoping to see the day a non igbo will enter the automobile industry.

The guy is such a dumbo. I am so disgusted. I swear.

am just tried of the guy called GEJ.he is just good at making the wrong decisions.that is why it is good to have good advisers but for him the reverse is the case, Shame!!Shame!!Shame!!

Easy to pick out foools from their comments. None among the half brained loud mouthed baboons rushing to comment has pointed out what is wrong with encouraging local dependence for our rice consumption.

wesley80:

Easy to pick out foools from their comments. None among the half brained loud mouthed baboons rushing to comment has pointed out what is wrong with encouraging local dependence for our rice consumption.

Monopolist are apart of his economic team, meaning they are the ones making decisions that are in their favor. Dangote has already got a huge share in the rice industry, who is going to be his competition? What of other bans that are really needed such as generator importations,etc.? Why did the FG buy buses from China instead of getting them from home so the the vehicle manufacturing industry can grow? Why no ban on that but why a swift ban on rice importation?

Take a look mr.man:

http://www.dangote-group.com/ourbrands/rice.aspx

He said no distant time which can mean anything.

@poster and what is your point?


is it wrong to ban rice importation?

The country has a shortfall in supply of 2.5 million tons of rice. Is he banning the rice before this is even grown?

df2006:

@poster and what is your point?


is it wrong to ban rice importation?

Let me ask you this, since there is no law against monopoly and the FG(which you are intertwine in and make decisions) banned rice importation, if you were Dangote(who is a known monopolist and already has a great share in the rice industry) what would you do?

Read:

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-749208.0.html

Now i know were Dangote is heading to! He wants to be the Rothschild of West Africa!

And with people like GEJ in power, he is sure to succeed!

2012 -
fuel pump price N140
Electricity - Epileptic
Road Network - Dead Trap with tollgate
Rice - N500 per measure!

Na wa ooo! Naija we go survive this 2012 so??

Instead of taking advantage of the opportunity, people are sitting down to point fingers. What is so difficult in producing rice Nigerians pls stop being lazy. Get ur ass up and hurry up! Position yourself to fill the gap if you have what it takes. GEJ cannot stop you from growing your rice in commercial qty if you want to.

We have acres upon acres of fertile land lying in waste, we have the climate, information on how to produce rice effectively is everywhere. What more do we want? We can see why some people keep getting richer and others remain poor. We should be ashamed as a nation that we are still importing rice. The same people complaining will agree with that but when a policy that can help is introduced, they sit their fat asses down and start complaining. In fact, I'm outta here!

Why are complaining? I thought GEJ is one of our owm, we gave him 98.9% of our votes.

GEJ carry GO! Let the foolish north be yapping trash, we are behind you.

P.S
Dangot changed his name to Alh. Aliko Nnamdi Chibuzo Dangote.

I dnt get it anymore, do ppl just read topic of post n make comments? No one bothers to read articles anymore. Smh

The funny tin is dat most ppl here keep mentioning d word 'cluelessl, while ironicaly, they r d clueless folks.
Dangote imports rice n dnt grow dem, if d govt ban importation of rice, wc it has not even banned, it favours rice farmer more.

Wot we should b asking are;
1. wot r d modalities put in place to cushion d effect of d ban (mind u wen obj brought d cassava initiative, Nigerian farmers rose to the challenge).
2. How do we encourage farmers to meet local demand.
3. Hw to maintain it.

Thk u

^^^No my friend, Thank YOU. U just cant help but be amazed at the shallow thinking and narrow mindedness of some folks yet they r always the first to start calling names! SMH.

My Igbo brothers, wouldn't this be good for the people of Ebonyi state, because they produce the most rice in Nigeria?

Where are my Igbo brothers who are going to invest in that fertile land instead of complaining about Dangote?

That is not true. Eze stop it

seanet02:

That is not true. Eze stop it

Abakaliki rice is used to feed Nigerians.

Abakaliki does not produces half of what Ofada produces. No bragging.

seanet02:

Abakaliki does not produces half of what Ofada produces. No bragging.

are sure u had english lecturer when u were in u.i?

i dont see dangote in the article ?