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Tag: rice

  • ‘Double wahala’ in South-West over handling of Buhari’s expired palliative rice, Covid-19 pressures

    ‘Double wahala’ in South-West over handling of Buhari’s expired palliative rice, Covid-19 pressures

    Like the immortal lyrics of Afro legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, ‘double wahala for dead body and the owner of dead body’, some South West governors were at the weekend faced with double jeopardy of handling the burden that comes with supposed expired palliative rice sent to the region by President Muhammadu Buhari-led government while still struggling to contain pressures of curtailing spread of deadly Covid-19.

    Recall that TheNewsGuru (TNG) had earlier reported that Oyo State Government would return bags of rice received from the Federal Government, after discovering it is in bad condition.

    In the same vein, Ondo State Government has rejected some of the expired bags of rice from the 1,800 bags sent to the state by the Federal Government, while Osun State government claimed that the FG’s palliative rice is presently undergoing quality control checks in the state.

    Speaking to newsmen, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Osun State Governor, Mr Ismail Omipidan, acknowledged receiving the rice from the FG but added that it was undergoing “quality control” checks.

    Reports reaching TNG is that some of the states in South West governed by All Progressives Congress (APC) have refused to open up on the worrisome state of the FG’s expired palliative rice due to their political affiliation with the Buhari-led government.

    Meanwhile, Lagos and Ogun state have commenced distribution of the rice to their people. In Lagos, one Iyabo Johnson raised an allegation on Twitter that she got an expired rice from the government, but the report has since been refuted by Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu.

    The story in Ondo is similar to that of Oyo:

    Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has ordered the return of some bags of rice sent to the state by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management as they were found to have expired.

    Speaking on the development, the Secretary of the state palliative committee, Mr Alex Kalejaiye, confirmed that some of the bags of rice had expired and were no longer fit for consumption.

    According to him, the bad rice will be separated from the good ones and the good ones will be taken to the laboratory to ascertain if they were fit for human consumption.

    He said, “We discovered that some of the bags have expired and not good for consumption at all, so we are separating them from the ones that are still manageable for consumption. After this, we will still take the ones that appear good to the laboratory to test if they are fit for consumption.”

    It was gathered that when it was discovered that some of the rice had expired, the governor reportedly ordered that they should be rejected.

    Akeredolu, who officially received the palliative items at the Government House ground, Alagbaka from the state coordinating unit of the Youths Empowerment and Social Support Operations, last week, was said to have expressed displeasure over the development.

    Kalejaiye said, “They brought many bags of rice, we just carried out a random check on them to discover the ones that are not good. What we are trying to do is to separate those ones that appeared bad from those ones that appeared good then we will carry out laboratory tests on them to ascertain whether they are safe for consumption before giving them out to our people.

    “Some are expired, it is even written on the bags but some are not expired but it seemed they were not properly stored, and those ones are not properly stored would not be good to be given to our people without carrying out the laboratory test.

    “We will separate the extremely bad ones from the rest and we will carry out the laboratory test on those ones that appear good, to ascertain how safe they are for consumption. But the extremely bad ones, we don’t even need to do a test on them, we will return them.

    “We will meet tomorrow (today) to decide when to return them, you know we can’t do it without the consent of Mr Governor.”

  • Fed Govt delivers trucks of rice, kicks off TraderMoni

    MINISTER of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Farouq, at the weekend, delivered three trucks of rice to Katsina State as part of COVID-19 palliatives.

    The palliatives, according to Farouq, is for the less privileged, vulnerable and people with disabilities, to cushion effects of the lockdown.

    Farouq kicked off disbursement of TraderMoni and MarketMoni to beneficiaries in the state to help them start-up or expand existing micro-businesses.

    Read Also: Fed Govt cuts fertiliser’s price by 20%
    This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Sunday by Special Adviser to the minister on Media Salisu Dambatta.

    Farouq, who was represented by Deputy Director in charge of Disaster Management Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman said 5,000 beneficiaries were approved for TraderMoni in Katsina State.

    The minister explained that TraderMoni was a N10,000 loan to traders that depend on daily income, while the N5,000 MarketMoni was for providers of essential services, such as shoe-makers and vulcanisers.

    She said the first phase of the Conditional Cash Transfer of N20,000 to the poor and vulnerable households in Katsina had been concluded.

    “As at Friday, a total of 428,941 beneficiaries have benefited from the Conditional Cash Transfer in 24 states, with 130,455 of them from Katsina State.”

  • Border closure: Nigerians consuming expired rice —Customs boss

    The Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) has said that Nigerians consuming foreign rice were eating an expired product that was only polished and re-bagged.

    Ali also said that the closure of the nation’s border would attract long term gains, which requires Nigerians to make sacrifices.

    He made these remarks on Wednesday during his inspection tour of Area I Command, Port Harcourt and Area II Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Onne.

    Ali said the security outfit must reach out to Nigerians through the media and make them realise the ”deadly” effect of what they were consuming.

    Ali pointed out that the aim of the smugglers of foreign rice and other banned products was to bring the country to her knees, adding that the Customs will continue to maintain zero tolerance for smuggling.

    He said, ”We are consuming expired foreign rice and when it causes cancer, we begin to look for who to blame. What they do is that they polish the rice, re-bag them for unsuspecting consumers. That is what we eat.

    ”We (Nigeria Customs Service) must reach out to Nigerians through the media and make them know the deadly effect of what they are consuming.”

    On the closure of Nigeria’s border, Ali stated that the country would be able to realise its deficiencies and tackle them once and for all, adding that Nigerians must make sacrifices for the nation’s industries to grow.

  • Price of imported rice drops in March – NBS

    The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said average price of one kilogramme (kg) of rice (imported high quality sold loose) decreased month-on-month in March.

    The NBS said this in its “Selected Food Price Watch (March 2019)’’ report released on its website.

    The bureau said rice price decreased year-on-year by -0.39 per cent and decreased month-on-month by -0.68 per cent to N361.90 in March from N364.38 in February.

    Similarly, the bureau said average price of one kg of yam tuber decreased year-on-year by -21.07 per cent and month-on month by -2.71 per cent to N200.88 in March from N206.48 in February.

    Also, it said average price of one dozen of Agric eggs medium size decreased year-on-year by -12.80 per cent and month-on-month by -0.96 per cent to N459.80 in March from N464.26 in February.

    In addition, it said average price of piece of Agric eggs medium size (price of one) increased year-on-year by 1.73 per cent and decrease month-on-month by -0.74 per cent to N41.91 in March from N42.23 in February.

    According to the report, the average price of one kg of tomato decreased year-on-year by -10.03 per cent and month-on-month by -6.32 per cent to N240.29 in March from N256.50 in February.

    The NBS said field work for the report was done by over 700 NBS staff in all states of the federation supported by supervisors who were monitored by internal and external observers.

    Prices were collected across all the 774 local governments of the federation and the FCT from over 10,000 respondents and locations; they reflected actual prices households stated they actually bought those items.

    The average of all these prices was then reported for each state and average for the country was the average for the state.

  • Amosun dragged to EFCC over MITROS Rice N4b loan

    Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state has been reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) over an alleged mismanagement of a N4billion Anchors Borrowers Fund for rice farmers.

    The petitioner, Nelson Ekunjumi, National Co-Ordinator for the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate, based in Ikeja, Lagos, submitted a petition to the EFCC in Abuja on 28 February, urging the anti-graft agency to probe what the money was used for as ‘there is no rice plantation’ any where in Ogun.

    “Two years ago, the Ogun State Government secured a N4 billion facility from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to help Ogun farmers in boosting production of rice, via aggressive rice farming in the State. The core of the plan and purpose of the fund was to also use the facility to establish rice plantations in Ogun State and provide jobs for at least ten thousand youth.

    “On an inspection visit to the the State early last year by the Governor of CBN, Governor Amosun set up fake rice pyramids in Ogun State to give impression of massive output from the rice plantations. This was well reported in the mass media.

    “The governor also announced at the ceremony that rice plantations would be established in different parts of Ogun State including Ijebu North East and Ogun Waterside Local Government Areas.

    “After that photo-trick ceremony, nothing has been heard of Mitros Rice and there is no rice plantation established with the Anchor Borrowers Fund anywhere in Ogun State.

    “We urge your agency to quickly intervene without further delay. The huge sum of money involved would have gone a long way in bettering the lives of Ogun farmers, while providing jobs for our teeming unemployed youth.

    “Please treat as urgent sir, as we see such action as contradictory to the good intention of President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the importation of rice to Nigeria.”

    Governor Amosun is yet to respond to the petition.

    Amosun launched the Mitros(acronym for Mission to Rebuild Ogun State) rice in December 2017. About 110,000 bags of the rice were arranged in a pyramid, with the launch done with fanfare. The ceremony was attended by the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele and Governor of Kebbi state, who is also the chairman, Presidential Task Force on Rice and Wheat Production. There were also musicians and Nollywood stars in attendance.

    Some cynics at the time derided it as a political deceit.

    But Amosun dismissed the critics as political detractors.
    His commissioner for agriculture, Peju Adebajo said the government was promoting the production of Ofada brand of rice, native to the state.

    Amosun in his address at the launch said the production of MITROS RICE will go a long way in making Ofada rice available, at affordable price, for the people’s consumption.

    “The new Ofada rice will be produced in a hygienic manner, and to high standards; and it will enjoy standardised packaging – in 1kg, 5kg,10kg, 25kg and 50kg bags – and bear the MITROS stamp of quality, signifying goods produced to the highest standards”, he said.

  • No dollars to import rice, cement, chicken – CBN

    The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, on Tuesday said the bank’s policy to restrict importers of some 42 items from accessing foreign exchange was the right call of action.

    Emefiele made this known in Abuja while fielding questions from journalists at the end of the first Monetary Policy Committee meeting for the year.

    He said that the CBN took the measure to ban 42 items from accessing foreign exchange through official routes, to encourage local production of the items and simultaneously conserve the nation’s depleting foreign reserves.

    Some of the 42 items not valid for foreign exchange at the Nigerian window include rice, cement, fertiliser, margarine, palm produce, beef, vegetables, poultry and eggs, wooden doors and Iron rods.

    “Available data has shown that in 2014, Nigeria imported 1.2 million metric tonnes of rice, in 2015 it had dropped to 644,000 metric tonnes and 2016, to 58,000 metric tonnes, 23,000 metric tonnes in 2017 and 6,000 metric tonnes in 2018.

    “In terms of foreign exchange allocation, for wheat importation, we spent 1.2 billion dollars in 2016; by 2017 it went down to 628,000 dollars.

    “Sugar had gone down from 462 million dollars in 2014 to 255 million dollars in 2017. Fish dropped from over one billion dollars in 2014 to 18 .96 million dollars in 2017.

    “Importation of tomatoes has dropped from 7 million dollars to less than a million dollars in 2017.

    “These results are because of the actions of the government supporting the monetary policy of Nigeria today and we will be aggressive in supporting small holder farmers that cultivates these items,” he said.

    Emefiele said that the CBN would continue to take an aggressive stance to ensure that any food item currently being imported that can be produced in the country is banned.

    He said CBN was currently reviewing a list of other items and that once they were convinced that there were companies in the country that could sufficiently produce the said items; they would also be placed on the foreign exchange restriction list.

    “We think that the initiatives that the CBN has put in place in the past to cut import and diversify the structure of the Nigerian economy is yielding result and we will continue to be that aggressive.

    “The CBN together with EFCC would investigate any company, any individual suspected of bringing this item either through any border or through smuggling of any means for money laundering and economic sabotage.

    “If we discover that these companies or individuals are involved in any economic sabotage, we will write to all the banks, we will blacklist those companies and individuals running those companies.

    “The companies can no longer operate any bank account in any Nigerian bank and there will be no need to talk about prosecuting you but we will not allow you do business again in Nigeria,” he said.

    Emefiele said that CBN intervention in the foreign exchange market to keep it stable was the right call.

    He recalled that in 2016, the Naira had depreciated to more over N500 to a dollar and could have reached N1000 without the intervention of the CBN.

    He reiterated the bank’s commitment to continue to intervene in the interbank foreign exchange market to ensure liquidity in the foreign exchange market and maintain stability.

    Emefiele announced that the CBN had successfully resolved the issue with MTN on allegation of illegal repatriation of 8.1 billion dollars.

    “I am glad to tell you in November we held a round of meetings with MTN officials even from South-Africa and by December we concluded those engagements and the matters were resolved.

    “It resulted in a notional reversal. Let me make it clear that it is not a fine or a penalty. It was a notional reversal of 53 million dollars amounting to about N19.5 billion.

    “This amount has since been paid by the MTN and terms of settlement of this matter has already been lodged at the Nigerian court,” he said.

  • Teenager Rice gives West Ham rare win over Arsenal

    Teenager Rice gives West Ham rare win over Arsenal

    A superb finish by West Ham midfielder Declan Rice – the 19-year-old’s first Premier League goal – earned his side a fine win and dented Arsenal’s top-four ambitions.

    Rice beat Bernd Leno with a first-time shot after a good lay-off by Samir Nasri, who was making his first top-flight appearance in England since August 2016.

    In a highly-competitive London derby, Alexandre Lacazette was denied by an excellent save from Lukasz Fabianski as Arsenal failed to score in the league for the first time since the opening day of the season.

    West Ham were full value for their win, with Marko Arnautovic, Rice, Nasri and Felipe Anderson all going close when the game was goalless.

    While West Ham move up to eighth in the table after a sixth win in nine league games, Arsenal remain fifth.

    The Gunners are three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who entertain Newcastle.

    BBC

  • Yuletide: Prices of tomatoes, onions, rice soar

    Prices of some food items have soared in some major markets in Umuahia, the capital of Abia two days to Christmas.

    A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday at Ubani, Isi Gate and Orie Ugba markets showed the prices of tomatoes, onions, rice, ogbono, egusi and others have increased.

    At Ubani Market, a 50 kg of tomatoes which sold for between N10,000 and N12,000 a week ago, now sells between N19,000 and N20,000.

    A bag of onions now sells for N45,000 as against N41,000 to N43,000 it was sold last week.

    A bag of ogbono previously sold for N140,000 now goes for N160,000, while that of egusi which used to sell between 120,000 and N130,000 now sells for N162,000.

    Prices of rice has also soared as a bag of foreign rice which sold at about N18,000 two weeks ago, now sells for between N21,000 and N22,000.

    The local rice which was previously sold for between N14,000 and N15,000, now goes for between N17,000 and N18,000.

    The survey revealed that the prices of the aforementioned items are not different at Orie Ugba, another major market in Umuahia.

    At Isigate, a milk-tin of ogbono which previously sold for N500 now sells for N600, while that of egusi, which used to sell for N230 now goes for N300.

    Pumpkin vegetable known as “ugwu’’ in local dialect which was previously sold for N50 for the an average bunch now goes for N100.

    An onions seller at Isigate market, Mrs Chidinma Ezoh, lamented the increase in price of onions.

    “Last week, I bought a bag of onions at N43,000, but today I bought it N45,000.

    “The price is increasing everyday. I don’t know what it will be like by Monday but I’m sure it will increase because it will just be a day to Christmas.

    “In 2016, a bag of onions which now sells for N45,000 was sold for between N12,000 and N14,000,” she said.

    Another trader at Orie Ugba market, Mr Patrick Okafor, who sells food items, pointed that the increase was usual because of the festive period.

    “This is Christmas season. Everything has added money. We sell according to how we buy. It is just unfortunate, but there is nothing we can do about it,” he said.

    A consumer at Ugbani Market, Mrs Elizabeth Kanu called on the Federal Government to put in place price control mechanism that would checkmate the excesses of traders.

    “We are being exploited and it is because the Federal Government does not have any price control mechanism.

    “I heard that this is harvest time for some items such as tomatoes and onions, yet these traders are still selling them at astronomical prices,” she lamented.

     

  • Customs seizes smuggled rice worth N101.7m

    Customs seizes smuggled rice worth N101.7m

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has impounded about 1,160 bags of 50kg of foreign parboiled rice and five trucks used to convey them, in Edo.

    The rice and trucks worth N101.7 million were seized by the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Strike Force in zone “C”.

    Zone “C” comprises Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi.

    At a media briefing in Benin on Tuesday, Mr Abdullahi Kirawa, the National Coordinator of the Strike Force, said that the seizure was achieved through intelligence reports from members of the public and Customs intelligence unit.

    Kirawa said that the seized bags of rice were concealed in five trucks.

    He said that the smuggling showed the level of desperation of perpetrators.

    “The NCS will not relent in ensuring that activities of smugglers are nipped in the bud,” the official said.

    He said that smugglers had introduced new ways of smuggling rice into the country, listing the ways to include concealing bags of rice in fuel tankers and GP tanks.

    Kirawa appealed to members of the public to see smuggling as an evil wind that would blow no good.

    He urged members of the public to help to expose smugglers.

     

  • 2019: Cross River farmers adopt Ayade

    2019: Cross River farmers adopt Ayade

    Farmers in Cross River state, under the aegis of Cross River Farmers’ Cooperatives Empowerment, have thrown their weight behind Governor Ben Ayade.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the farmers on Monday endorsed Governor Ayade’s second term bid, while also bestowing on him an award for supporting agriculture in the state.

    The award and support they said was in appreciation of the governor’s revolutionary strides in agriculture.

    Speaking at a solidarity rally for Ayade, State Coordinator of the group, Sir Oliver Ntui hailed the governor’s diversification into agriculture.

    He commended him for sending hundreds of farmers to Abuja to be trained by Isreali agricultural experts.

    “You have demostrated that agriculture is the engine room of growth in developing economies through your various farmers’ empowerment initiatives, agricultural development policies and programmes.

    “You have graciously approved the training of 1000 rice farmers in modern and cutting edge technologies in rice farming by a reputable agricultural research and technology transfer institute in Abuja…we pledge our total support for your re-election,” Ntui told the Governor.

    Responding, Ayade said the era of manual tilling of the soil in the state was gone for good as he was committed to mechanising agriculture.

    The Governor used the occasion to flag off the distribution of iPads to farmers in the state.

    He told the farmers that the iPads would go a long way in helping them embrace modern farming techniques.

    He announced the state government’s decision to buy off all bags of rice and cocoa produced by Cross River farmers.