Ganys:
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.

Beaf: [size=18pt]Diabetes is quite a silly reason to hold the nation back.[/size] Those lawmakers are only there to feather their own nests.

In fact, giving diabetes as an excuse is just daft; there is enough research to show that there is no link between cassava and diabetes. In fact some studies promote cassava as part of the diet for diabetics, because of its low glycemic index.

Kobojunkie: 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.

ekt_bear: Who wan die of diabetes just because GEJ wants to force you to eat cassava bread

alj harem:

what do you mean

alj harem:

I am sure the president would not stop the production of whole wheat bread.

But a cheaper option is the cassava bread.

Dangote would still be producing flours made from wheat anyway

The House of Representative on Wednesday rejected a bill seeking to make it mandatory for the inclusion of cassava in the production of all flour products in Nigeria.

ekt_bear:

“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.


Are diabetics advised by their doctors not to eat cassava?

Is there a doctor in the house? Or someone who can google the relationship between cassava and diabetes?

Kobojunkie:



You do not have to be a genius to understand what is wrong with what you have above, you know? You are told the bill will force the use of Cassava in production of bread. How can you have whole wheat bread when instead of wheat, a portion of itjavascript:void(0); is cassava. How the frell can you call that whole wheat?

My gosh, I can't image imagine what the texture of those muffins will be.

Kobojunkie:

You do not have to be a genius to understand what is wrong with what you have above, you know? You are told the bill will force the use of Cassava in production of bread. How can you have whole wheat bread when instead of wheat, a portion of it[b]javascript:void(0);[/b] is cassava. How the frell can you call that whole wheat?

My gosh, I can't image imagine what the texture of those muffins will be.

alj harem:

Thanks for bring out that point. Most of Nigerian produced flour are not made in Nigeria but imported. thus majority of our breads are made from imported wheat flour.

The only MAJOR flour mill is that of dangote, crown and Nigeria flour mill. All these procedure less than 60 % of the flours we use in Nigeria. Even Dangote imports some of the flours made from wheat.

Thus anyone that does not want cassava bread can buy wheat bread.

ekt_bear: alj harem: I found this (among other things): http://www.livestrong.com/article/314844-cassava-as-diet-alternative-for-diabetics/

It actually appears that that rep might be mistaken. Seems to be beneficial rather than detrimental.

Still, what about freedom of choice? Why can't people choose what they want to eat?

Beaf: There is no country in the World where people are allowed to eat what they like. Nigeria should also regulate what its people eat.

ballabriggs: A very petty bill. Should lawmakers occupy themselves with such petty bills? Firstly, it is hypocritical to advocate for a deregulated markets while also placing controls on the content of a product or products. Secondly, one might be forced to ask, is the capacity for local production of cassava sufficient in the Nigerian economy? Such controls have little effect where capacity is limited because it leads to a distortion of markets thus further eroding the welfare of consumers. Thirdly, if indeed such controls are desirable, then it would have been more appropriate to pass a law promoting local content in various sectors of the economy and not limited to 'Cassava' and flour production. One is thus forced to ask, why is Mr. Jonathan obsessed with cassava flour. Is it most critical to reviving the nations economy? There are numerous sectors of the economy were linkages could be promoted. Like I said earlier such bills are better thrown out because it is not a serious bill. It is a petty bill and the Legislators would do well to occupy themselves with more serious legislative duties.

Kobojunkie:

Stop Lying! Nigeria imports even meat, as well as beans, rice, plantain. You name it. That is no reason why our meat should now be tainted by addition of say emo meat. Definitely no reason why there should be a law that mandates the addition of abakili rice to every bag of imported rice.

I am guessing you do not understand the implication of passing a bill to MANDATE the addition to cassava flour to wheat production. So I will say yous spend a couple more minutes on google to get help with that.

The House of Representative on Wednesday rejected a bill seeking to make it mandatory for the inclusion of cassava in the[b] production of all flour products in Nigeria[/b].

ekt_bear: Freedom of choice, though.

People should be able to eat what they like..

ekt_bear:

What on earth are you talking about. People are allowed to eat what they like in most countries I know of, so long as it is food and not physically harmful to their bodies...

ballabriggs: A very petty bill. Should lawmakers occupy themselves with such petty bills? Firstly, it is hypocritical to advocate for a deregulated markets while also placing controls on the content of a product or products. Secondly, one might be forced to ask, [b]is the capacity for local production of cassava sufficient in the Nigerian economy? [/b]Such controls have little effect where capacity is limited because it leads to a distortion of markets thus further eroding the welfare of consumers. Thirdly, if indeed such controls are desirable, then it would have been more appropriate to pass a law promoting local content in various sectors of the economy and not limited to 'Cassava' and flour production. One is thus forced to ask, why is Mr. Jonathan obsessed with cassava flour. Is it most critical to reviving the nations economy? There are numerous sectors of the economy were linkages could be created and not limited to 'Cassava flour'. Like I said earlier such bills are better thrown out because it is not a serious bill. It is a petty bill and the Legislators would do well to occupy themselves with more serious legislative duties.