₦airaland Forum

Minister of agriculture and rural development, Dr
Akinwumi Adesina, has debunked allegations of
granting waivers on rice import duties to some
companies, saying only the president can grant
waivers.

He insisted that any company which imports above
the approved allocation must pay for such.

Akinwumi who spoke when he appeared before the
House of Representatives AD-HOC Committee on
Rice Imports Quota and Duty Payments yesterday,
said that “any miller importing above the allocated
quota must pay the outstanding because Nigeria is
not a banana republic”.

LEADERSHIP recalls that in May 2014, a new rice
policy was approved by President Goodluck Jonathan
to encourage investment in local rice production and
milling through the introduction of an import duty
differential on imported rice.

The conditions preceding import quota allocation
include having milling capacity with verified
Domestic Rice Production Plans (DRPP) which allows
investors to enjoy an import duty of 10 per cent and
levy of 20 per cent while traders (importers) will pay
an import duty of 10 per cent and levy of 60 per cent.
According to Adesina, the rice import policy was
created to boost local rice production, farmers
productivity, create jobs, increase income and
revenue generation and reduce import demand for
rice locally.

He added, “Since the commencement of the policy,
total integrated milling capacity had increased from
70,000 to 800,000 and brought 2.6billion USD
investment into new commercial rice farms and rice
milling capacities”.

The minister had in January raised the alarm that
Olam Central Trading and Export, a popular farm and
mills enterprise, and three other companies owed the
Nigerian government N36.56 billion for rice
importation above their quota allocation.

He said, “I cannot be corrupted and I cannot be
bought; I do not collect money from individuals or
companies; anybody who owes should pay”.

Also speaking with journalists after the hearing,
deputy House leader and chairman, House of
Representatives Committee on Rice Imports Quota
and Duty Payments, Leo Ogor, said, “As per the issue
of waiver in respect of whatever anybody is owing as
import duties, nobody can waive that; these funds
are funds that go into the federation account and the
resources belong to the three tiers of government”.

Reacting to the possibility of the companies refusing
to pay, he said, “There is no alternative to it; they
must pay. It is binding and the funds must be
recovered, and if they go beyond what they are
doing, these funds must be recovered with interest.”

http://leadership.ng/news/431264/i-did-not-grant-waiver-to-anybody-adesina

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