NACC, Stakeholders Push for Food Safety Bill to Address Rejection of Nigerian Non-oil Exports

Gilbert Ekugbe

The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) has rallied stakeholders in the agricultural sector to champion the need for food safety bill that would address the high level of rejection of Nigeria’s non-oil export.

The NACC highlighted the need for the passage of the National Food Safety and Quality Bill 2019 into law by the National Assembly in its quest to safeguard the health of Nigerians while also achieving food security.

The Counselor for Agricultural Affairs, US Consulate, Mr. Gerald Smith, said during the NACC’s March breakfast meeting, said a major player like Nigeria could not be without a food safety bill, and called on all stakeholders in the agricultural sector to push for the implementation of the food safety bill.

Smith said: “You cannot have an agro sector without a food safety bill. The bill in the National assembly waiting for implementation is a major constrain. We know that it might not happen in this regime with the elections happening next year. We will not have a food safety law come into play next year. Beyond that, with the next government coming in, there is need to collaborate and join forces so that Nigeria can have a food safety law in place.”

He, however, stated that the United States’ government is collaborating with soil farmers in Nigeria to improve their agronomic skills and best practices to increase soya bean production in the country

He said that given the level of consumption for soya bean in the country, there is an urgent need to boost its production.

According to him, there is enormous amount of soya bean that needs to be produced in the country, but stated that importers who have the ability to bring soya bean especially from the United State for Nigerian farmers to have access to improved varieties are being challenged by the unavailability of foreign exchange.

Smith said that the United State is committed to be a reliable supplier of soya bean for the Nigerian economy to improve poultry production.

“However, the challenge is that importers who are interested to importing soya bean into the country are being challenged by the unavailability of foreign exchange and this is constraining the efforts of the importers to bring in these improved varieties,” he said.

Earlier, the National President of NACC, Ms. Adebola Williams, said that before the discovery of oil, Nigeria’s economy could be described as an agriculture economy, stressing that the country was notable all over the world for its agricultural products.

Williams said that despite efforts from agricultural institutions, the country is yet to harness the full potentials of its natural endowments.  

“Despite Nigeria being the highest producer of yam, we still do not do enough export to the world. The reason is that we are not growing the right species to meet international standards whereas yams from Ghana and Benin Republic are in high demands at the international market. We must continue to harness our resources and reach out for whatever help we might need,” she said.

She added that one of the key imperatives of the chamber is to continuously engage all departments of the USA’s mission in Nigeria on trade development of its members.