The Federal Government has inaugurated a 26-
member Standing Inter-Ministerial Technical
Committee to address the rejection of Nigeria`s dry
beans by the European Union. The Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu
Ogbeh, while performing the inauguration in Abuja
on Tuesday, urged the committee members to work
as a team to achieve the desired goal.
member Standing Inter-Ministerial Technical
Committee to address the rejection of Nigeria`s dry
beans by the European Union. The Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu
Ogbeh, while performing the inauguration in Abuja
on Tuesday, urged the committee members to work
as a team to achieve the desired goal.
“It is my pleasure to welcome you to this important
workshop for members of the Inter-Ministerial
Technical Committee on Zero Reject of Agricultural
Commodities and Produce/Non-Oil Exports. “We are
here to take our destinies in our hands by finding
lasting solution to incessant rejection of our
agricultural commodities, especially in Europe.
“We need to avoid the embarrassment of further
rejection in the future by strengthening our
regulatory authorities to live up to their mandates.
“Our desire for agricultural products and non-oil
exports means there will be vigorous pursuit of
investment in quality control and standardisation.
“In addressing this challenge, we are working with
the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service to
ensure safety of what we produce and consume
locally and internationally, “ Ogbeh said. The
minister urged members of the committee to carry
out the assignment with unity of purpose and in the
interest of the nation.
“We will get our desired result if this committee
carries out its work diligently without fear or favour
because there is demand for Nigeria`s product
outside the country. “We are also working with other
agencies on traceability; that is to know where the
sub-standard goods are coming from. “
He, however, called on donor agencies to consider
other gaps that could be filled to bring Nigeria`s
agriculture to a loftier height. Mr Charles Malata,
Chief Technical Adviser, UNIDO, said that the
importance of the workshop and inauguration was
to enable Nigeria to explore non-oil sector of the
economy.
Malata said that the committee was set up because
of the rejection of the country’s agricultural produce
and commodities at the international market. “We
have a project which is funded by EU and it has
been running for two years. “Through the project,
we have been addressing the issue of safety and
good health in order to boost the competitiveness
of Nigerian products.
“We appreciate what the Federal Government is
doing towards the removal of the ban soon. “I urge
the committee to take time to look at the issues
that are challenging Nigeria to provide a roadmap
to possible solutions to these challenges, “ he
added.
In a keynote address, Head of Trade and
Economics Section, European Union, Mr Filippo
Amato, said that the ban was a wake-up call for the
country to work toward achieving standards. He
commended the Federal Government in setting up
the committee to look at the rejection of Nigeria`s
beans for containing high level of pesticides which
were dangerous to human health.
He, however, reiterated EU`s support to the country
in order to improve its compliance to meet
standards and protect consumers` right. The EU
announced import suspension measures in June
2015, which affected dried beans from Nigeria.
The suspension was supposed to lapse in June
2016 when the country was expected to provide
“substantial guarantees that adequate official
control system have been put in place “. The EU
further extended the suspension to three years for
alleged lack of seriousness by stakeholders to meet
the dateline.
The committee members are from the Federal
Ministry of Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Industry
Trade and Investment, Nigeria Customs Service,
Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service and Nigeria
Export Promotion Council.
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