Reps probe export of yams, importation of GMO maize

The House of Representatives on Wednesday unveiled plans to investigate the circumstances surrounding the export of rotten yams to the United States of America (USA).

Recall that Federal Government had in June, 2017 exported a large consignment of yams from Nigeria to Europe and America, seeking to improve non-oil export revenue in line with the economic diversification policy of the present administration.

To this end, the House mandated its Committee on Agricultural Production & Services and Customs & Excise to interface with Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to explain why the law prohibiting the exportation of yam tubers was flagrantly disregard of Schedule of the Export (Prohibition) Act, Cap. E22, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 lists Beans, Cassava tuber, Maize, Rice, Yam tuber and their product derivatives as goods absolutely prohibited from exportation from Nigeria.

Also expected to appear before the joint Committees are: Hameed Ali, Comptroller-General of Customs; Segun Awolowo, Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC); Osita Aboloma, Director General of the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and Head of the Nigerian Quarantine Service under Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion entitled: “Need to determine why food products prohibited from exportation are being exported and also do not meet international standards,’ sponsored by Jonathan Gaza (APC-Nasarawa).

In his lead debate, Gaza who described the development as unsatisfactory, recalled that the Minister’s explanation on Tuesday, that the yams went bad due to the long distance between Nigeria and the US.

The lawmaker maintained that it would have been better of the Federal Government followed due process by waiting for the bill seeking to repeal the provisions of the Export Prohibition Act, to be passed by the National Assembly, rather than flout an existing law.

He said: “the Federal Government has in the bid to increase agricultural products exportation, disregarded a subsisting law and carried on the exportation of some of the above goods expressly prohibited from exportation.

“The recent report that 72 tonnes of yam tubers that were exported sometime in June 2017 were rejected by the United States of America as they were found to have rotten upon arrival is causing the nation great embarrassment as it is now obvious that produce approved for export by the government do not meet with world standards for exportation”, he said.

In his submission, Mohammed Kazaure, opined that a country with a high level of poverty, like Nigeria shouldn’t be exporting food crops as this makes certain staples scarce and exorbitantly priced in the market.

Speaking against the motion, Johnson Agbonayinma (PDP-Edo) and Peter Akpatason (APC-Edo) urged the House not to lose sight of the idea behind the Federal Government exporting yams, which they said is generally acceptable towards diversifying the country’s economy.

In the same vein, the House mandated the joint Committees on Agricultural Production & Services and Customs & Excise to investigate the circumstances that led to the alleged importation of genetically modified maize without clearance from the National Biosafety Management Agency and recommend appropriate measures to protect the nation from importation of such products in future, and report back within eight weeks for further legislative action.

The resolution was passed sequel to the passage of a motion co- sponsored by Kingsley Onwubuariri and Munir Dan-Agundi.

“The House notes that the Agricultural revolution of the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is geared towards ensuring sufficiency in food production and Nigerians have heeded the call and have gone back to the farms, the result of which was an impressive harvest in maize which forced the price down.
“The House is aware of recent reports in the Sun and Nigeria Today Newspapers of 8 September, 2017, calling on the Federal Government to probe the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies at the Seaport over an alleged importation of seven ship-loads of maize by Olam Group;
“Recent information by scientists and researchers, more than half of the countries of the European Union, including Germany, France, Scotland, Italy, Austria, Greece, Poland and Belgium have either completely banned or placed severe restrictions on consumption of genetically modified products in their respective countries.
“The House is informed that Olam Group imported the maize partly to feed its newly built feed mill factory in Kaduna rather than patronizing local farmers. The House is cognizant of the grave danger to the health of the citizens given the shipment of 70,000 tons of GMO maize into the country without the knowledge and clearance of the National Biosafety Management Agency, a development that could stifle the efforts of local farmers and aggravate the nation’s capital flight situation.
“The House is concerned that since the question of the safety and long term effects of genetically modified products has not been resolved in Nigeria, the importation of genetically modified maize could expose our citizens to future health hazards, the magnitude of which nobody is in a position today to foretell or disprove with certainty,” he said.

 

KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja