I Did Not Grant Waiver To Anybody – Adesina

8 years ago

I Did Not Grant Waiver To Anybody – Adesina

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.

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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.”