- The National Rice Millers Association of Nigeria, NRMAN, said on Thursday in Abuja that the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, erred in its decision to lift the ban on importation of rice through the land borders.
- The Chairman of the association, Mohammed Abubakar, said the NCS overreached its statutory mandate as an enforcement agency in taking such a policy decision.
- Besides, Mr. Abubakar said, if the customs succeeded in its decision, it would destroy Nigeria’s rice value chain attained by the previous administration.
“First of all, the customs does not have the power to do that, it is a matter of national policy and customs does not make national policy, it is an implementation agency.
“This will completely kill the rice value chain and everything concerning rice production will stop; customs does not have the right to make such decision.
“This ban was placed six years ago and everybody knows that, so it does not have any reason to say rice should be brought in through the land borders.
“Anyone who gives such directive has smuggling intentions,” he said.