Federal Government Of Nigeria To ban rice importation

Minister of Trade and Investments, Dr. Aganga

Oct 16, 2011 – The Minister of Trade and Investments, Dr. Olusegun Aganga has said the federal will soon ban the importation of rice.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of Ekiti State Economic and Development Summit in commemoration of Governor Kayode Fayemi’s one year in government at Ado-Ekiti, the minister said this was to encourage local production of the product.

He regretted that the country had not attained food sufficiency despite having a minimum of 80 million hectares of cultivable land, regretting that currently less than half the percentage is utilised.

He advised other state governors in the country to emulate the exemplary performance of Fayemi, particularly in the areas of job creation and poverty alleviation. Describing Ekiti as a willing and competent partner in national drive towards industrialisation and employment generation, Aganga pledged support of his ministry for Ekiti in the efforts towards the development of the state.

The minister lamented continuing hiring by Nigerians of artisans, including electricians, bricklayers, tillers and others from Togo, stating that his Ministry is leading a new effort to train and empower ready Nigerians as artisans to break the jinx of external sourcing.  

He disclosed that the Federal Government in partnership with some economic groups have set aside N10 billion with the Bank of Industry for access by willing small and micro-medium scale investors in the country, noting that this sum had remained largely un-accessed.

 “We are not going to give money to Nigerians just for skills’ acquisition, but we will teach them how to work hard and raise a bankable investment that can propel Small and Micro-medium enterprises.

Earlier in his address, Fayemi assured willing investors in the state of between five to 10 years tax holiday to encourage investment and attract investors.

The Governor said “We have made progress by limiting amount of time wasted by willing investors in the state in doing registration of their businesses. Initially,  business registration took place in about ten places. Today, the Bureau of Public Enterprises is in place to ease registration tasks for businesses.