Border closure: CBN begs farmers not to increase price of rice
- The Central Bank of Nigeria called on rice farmers not to increase the price of their product
- Godwin Emefiele said increasing the price will only bring hardship for Nigerians
- The CBN governor said the decision to close the border was in the interest of Nigerians
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has appealed to members of Rice Millers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN) and other stakeholders in the rice value chain not to increase the price of rice over border closure.
Godwin Emefiele, the CBN governor, said this in a statement issued and made available to newsmen on Monday, October 14, in Abuja by Muhammed Tijani, media assistant to RIMAN’s chairman.
Emefiele also called on them not to hoard rice as a result of the closure of the borders in order to increase price, adding that such acts were unpatriotic.
The CBN governor said that the border closure was meant to promote the growth of the Nigerian economy and ensure that the country attained food self-sufficiency in the rice value chain. He said that this was for the benefit and well being of the citizenry.
He said that imported rice into the country were chemicalised for preservation, therefore not good for the consumption.
Emefiele said that there was need to increase rice production and discourage hoarding leading to price increase, while calling on rice millers to support government’s effort in the rice value chain sector.
He said that hoarding rice with a view to increase the prices of rice would bring hardship to Nigerians.
He said that the CBN under his leadership would support rice millers to stem off smuggling in the country and grow the rice sector for food self–sufficiency.
Emefiele called on Nigerians to support the government action on closure of the border, adding that government took the decision in the best interest of Nigerians as it was meant to secure the country.
He said that this would also secure the health of the citizenry from heavily chemicalised products that were injurious to the health of the country.
Peter Dama, the RIMAN chairman, assured the CBN of the support of its members on the federal government’s action on border closure. He said that its members would not succumb to pressure to reverse the policy on borders’ closure.
He urged the CBN for financial support to build capacity and expand milling activities to stimulate further growth in the rice sector.
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Meanwhile, the Nigerian Customs Service earlier announced the complete border closure across the nation, which also means a total ban on all import and export goods through the land border.
The comptroller-general of customs, Hameed Ali, on Monday, October 14, stated that the ban will remain in place until agreement is reached with neighbouring countries on the kind of goods allowed into the nation. He said the measure is for security purpose so as to scan all goods that enter and exit the nation.
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