Nigerian Senate Revokes Import Waivers on Rice, Other Agric. Products

By Lequte

1. LequteScientistNews Hub Team

   The Nigerian Senate yesterday passed a resolution urging the Federal Government to revoke all import waivers on rice and other agricultural products in the country.
   
   It also wants all outstanding revenues owed by importers to be collected.
   
   In a two-prayer motion moved by Senator Rafui Ibrahim (APC Kwara South), the Senate set up a nine-man committee to look into all waivers, concessions and grants.
   
   The committee, headed by Adamu Aliero (APC Kebbi Central), is charged with the responsibility of reviewing all such related policy to recover all government revenues and block leakages.
   
   Some senators also advocated complete removal of all waivers, concessions, and grants on all products and commodities that could be manufactured locally.
   
   
   
   President of the Senate Bukola Saraki, in his remark said there was an urgent need to protect the nation’s agriculture to ensure self sufficiency rather than relying on importation.
   
   He expressed displeasure at the impunity with which people who owed government billions of naira continued to do businesses free as if “nothing will happen”.
   
   “This too must stop; this is the first ad hoc committee that will be set up for this kind of thing and the committee will not stop until every penny is recovered,” he said.