01122019 - 13 states struggle for 7.5 metric tonnes of rice

SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 1, 2019, PAGE 11
Nigeria has saved
$1.8b from ban on
rice importation
— Okorafor, CBN Spokesperson
By Emma Ujah,
Abuja Bureau Chief
Director, Corporate
Communications of Central
Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Isaac
Okoroafor, in this interview, speaks on
the gains being recorded following the
ban on importation of rice
into Nigeria. He also
explains how the CBN is
assisting local rice farmers
through the Anchor
Borrowers’ Programme,
ABP.
Rice production has
taken the centre stage
in the agricultural
sector. What role has
the CBN Anchor
Borrowers’ Programme
played in this
development?
The Anchor Borrowers’
Programme (ABP) has been
a huge success as can be
attested to by the level of
acceptance and
participation by various
stakeholders along the
value chains of all the crops
the Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN) is intervening in. As for rice, the
story can be likened to a revolution of
some sort. Beginning with the launch of
the programme in Kebbi State by
President Muhammadu Buhari in
November 2015, the rice industry in
Nigeria has witnessed a great revamp.
What we did with the ABP was to form
strategic partnerships with agricultural
This
significant
reduction in
imports of rice
from Thailand
represents a
saving of over
US$1.8 billion
to Nigeria from
that time to
now
commodity associations such as the
Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria
(RIFAN), which has yielded great
results.
How has the ABP impacted the
rice value-chain in the country?
The ABP has greatly impacted the rice
value chain in Nigeria.
From its inception in 2015
to the end of October 2019,
a cumulative sum
of N247.7 billion had been
disbursed through different
Private Finance Initiatives,
PFIs, to finance about
1,388,201 farmers, working
with over 200 anchor
companies. Also, over two
million and eight million
direct and indirect jobs,
respectively, have been
created under the ABP. Right
from the input suppliers,
rice farmers, extension
workers, processors and
marketers alike, we have
addressed the value chain to
ensure value addition and
ultimately job and wealth
creation.
There are calls for the
nation’s borders to be
opened to rice importation. Those
behind the calls claimed that local
production is too low to meet rice
demand. Do you see this as a
justification for rice importation, at
least for now, pending when local
production can meet demand?
Although the security of borders is not
within the CBN remit, we are glad
•Okorafor
about the decision of the Federal
Government to do that as it will have a
great impact on the interventions the
bank is making in the value chains of
different crops. Those vested interests
seeking an immediate reopening of the
country’s borders are not patriotic
Nigerians and do not wish to see the
country develop and its army of
unemployed citizens gainfully
employed. When those borders were
open, unpatriotic elements worked with
foreign interests to take advantage of
the situation. They imported all sorts of
items that can be produced here locally
and our local manufacturers bled. In
the specific case of rice, with open
borders, the rice millers across the
country had their storage houses full of
bags of rice that they were unable to sell
due to the unfettered access importers
had particularly through the Northern
and Western borders of our country.
Fast forward to the border closure. All
those unsold bags of rice that were in
the warehouses of the millers have all
been bought with new orders already
placed. Some may argue that the
border closure has led to an increase in
the price of locally produced rice but I
tell you that increase is only temporary.
Very soon, those prices will moderate
and you will see a sharp drop in the
prices of locally produced rice. The
closure of the borders is a win-win
situation for Nigeria.
What difference has the local
rice production made in terms of
conserving foreign exchange from
rice importation since the CBN
ABP intervention, in the past three
years?
It has made a humungous difference.
Since we commenced the
implementation of the policy, there has
been a sharp drop in imports of rice
from several countries. As we have
shown before now, available data from
Thailand’s Rice Exporters Association
indicate that in 2012, about 1.2 million
metric tonnes of rice were exported to
Nigeria. However, in 2016, which was
the first full year of implementation of
our policy, rice exports to Nigeria fell to
only 784 metric tonnes. This significant
reduction in imports of rice from
Thailand represents a saving of over
US$1.8 billion to Nigeria from that
time to now. This fall in rice
importation has served as a boost for local
rice production in Nigeria. These are clearly
verifiable successes of government’s
attempts to create jobs locally, improve the
wealth of our rural population, improve
industrial capacities and ultimately attain
economic growth in Nigeria.
Specifically, in the past three years, we
have pursued a demand management
approach to conserve our reserves and
support domestic production of certain
goods in Nigeria. In this regard, we
analysed our import bill, and encouraged
manufacturers to consider local options in
sourcing their raw materials, by restricting
access to foreign exchange on 43 items.
How would you rate the loan
repayment by beneficiaries under the
ABP?
The response of farmers in terms of
repayment of the loan is quite
encouraging. Suffice to state that the
facilities are staggered according to
farming seasons. While some of the
facilities are maturing, others might
just be in the early stages of utilization
by beneficiaries. We have also devised a
more sustainable and enduring means
of disbursement to ensure efficiency
both in utilization and repayment. We
are collaborating with produce
associations like RIFAN. They would
ensure that genuine farmers not only
access these loan facilities but also
ensure monitoring and prompt payment
as and when due.
Excitement in Kano as Glo delivers prize to winner’s home
FAGGE area in the an
cient city of Kano was enveloped
in celebration last Friday
when Globacom delivered
a brand new tricycle to one of
its subscribers in her home.
The day started just like any
other day for the residents of
the community. The entire area
was quiet and there was no inkling
that anything spectacular
was going to happen.
However, at 10:30 am, the
area took on a completely new
look when a large entourage
of traditional chiefs of Fagge,
Kannywood superstar, Sani
Danja, and others appeared on
the horizon. In the entourage
were the representative of the
Galadima of Fagge, Alhaji
Hassan Ahmed, the Mai Ungwa
of Fagge, Alhaji Tijani Dan
Wawu, Globacom’s Head of
Sales, North West, Niyi Anifowose
and Regional Manager,
North West, Yakubu Baba.
In the procession was a Globranded
tricycle destined for
House 146, Fagge-A. The
house is located in the middle
of the sleepy street.
Curious residents, trooped
out to behold the spectacle unfolding
before them. Many of
them, especially the children
and the youths, came out of
their homes and joined the
train. By the time the entourage
reached House 146, where
Ummukhairi Badamasi, a 29-
year-old full-time housewife
lives with her husband, the entourage
had swelled considerably.
From left: Niyi Anifowoshe, Globacom’s Head of
Sales North West, representative of the Galadima of
Fagge, Alhaji Hassan Ahmed; winner of tricycle in
the on-going Recharge and Win Big promo by Globacom,
Madam Ummukhairi Badamasi, Mai Unguwa of
Fagge, Alhaji Tijani Dan Wawu, Kannywood star, Sani
Danja, and Globacom’s Regional Manager North West
1, Yakubu Baba, after delivery of the star prize to the
tricycle winner at her home in Fagge, Kano.
The tricycle finally arrived
the front of the destined address
and the lucky Badamasi
and her entire family members
and neighbours rushed out in
excitement to receive the august
visitors.
Globacom’s Regional Manager,
North West, Yakubu Baba,
wasted no time in announcing
why the team was there. Assisted
by all the dignitaries, he announced
that the brand new
tricycle was the prize Ummukhairi
won by recharging
her line during the ongoing
sales promotion by Globacom,
tagged Recharge and Win Big,
popularly called My Own
Don Beta.
Baba handed over the key to
the tricycle to Badamasi as the
crowd cheered. The lucky winner
told the crowd she never
imagined she could win a tricycle.
She said she was aware
of the promo and was recharging
her phone, hoping she
would win.
Badamasi said even when
she was called by someone
from Globacom, she was still
thinking it was either a dream
or a prank.
“Now, all doubt is gone! I am
a proud owner of a tricycle.
Thank you, Globacom,” the
lucky winner enthused.
The subscriber said she is a
housewife, adding that the prize
she had won now would enable
her to go into business. She
said she would use the keke for
transportation business.
Other winners received their
prizes from Globacom. Kamilu
Muhammad Adam also got
a tricycle. Yinusa Abubakar, a
policeman, and Sadiq Abdulkadir
collected a grinding
mill.
A lawyer, Ibrahim Idris, and
Salisu Sheu got an industrial
sewing machine each.
The previous Monday, a
prize-presentation exercise was
held at the Kantin Kwari Market
in Kano. It was the fifth
prize presentation exercise in
the ongoing promotion. Other
prize presentations had been
held in Lagos (Ojuelegba), Abuja
(Wuse Market), Port Harcourt
(Mile 1 Market) and
Ibadan (Bodija Market).
In Kano, a total of 130 prizes,
including tricycles (popularly
known as keke), grinding
mills, generators, and industrial
sewing machines, were won
by subscribers from Kano and
its neighbouring states.
Why Nigerians must start 2020 with God
– Prophet Aderanti
By Demola Akinyemi
THE General Over
seer of Resurrection
Commission Evangelistic
Ministry [RCEM], Evangelist/Prophet
Adeolu Aderanti,
has urged Nigerians
to start 2020 with God
if they want peace and
progress to return to the
country.
Aderanti said it is because
there is no Jesus
Christ in many homes that
there is hardship and crisis
in Nigeria, saying no
amount of prayers could
solve problems unless everyone
returns to God
through Jesus Christ.
The renowned prophet,
who had his roots in Baptist
where he rose through
the ranks before he received
God’s call to start
his own ministry in 2003,
spoke with Sunday Vanguard
at the headquarters
of the church arm of his
ministry, Resurrection
Power Church International,
located at Ajegunle,
Otte, boundary area of
Kwara and Ogbomosho in
Oyo State.
According to him, he is
gifted in “rural evangelism
through which many people
including kings and non-
Christians have given their
lives to Jesus”.
Aderanti said arrangements
had been concluded
for three days crusade of his
ministry tagged ‘He That
Hath The Key of David’
starting from this Friday,
December 6-Sunday 8, at
the church headquarters,
Resurrection Land in Otte
with his spiritual father,
Prophet Peter Owa, urging
people to come irrespective
of their religions for miraculous
solution to their problems.
He said free transportation
had been provided for
people who wish to attend
the crusade from Ilorin and
Ogbomosho.
The cleric explained that
former Nigerian leaders
did their best to turn the
country around, saying
President Muhammadu
Buhari is equally doing his
own but insisted that unless
the leaders and followers
return to God in 2020, there
won’t be peace and progress
in the nation.
“According to Philippians
4.13, ‘I can do all things
through Christ’. The moment
we run away from
Jesus Christ, we are running
away from solution. Without
Christ, we are deceiving
ourselves. With Jesus
Christ alone we can get all
we want”, Aderanti said.