Gov.Sani Bello Bans Purchase of Foreign Rice by Public Institutions

By Babalola Lukman Laleye

Niger State Governor,Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has banned the purchase of foreign rice by government institutions in order to boost local production of the staple food,encourage and boost agricultural business in the state.Governor Sani Bello gave the order yesterday in Minna,the state capital when he hosted the leadership and members of Niger state chapter of the of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN).The Governor stated that the ban became necessary as a result of the tremendous improvement recorded in rice production by local rice farmers,with their rice competing favourably with imported ones and in fulfilment of his administration's resolve to make agriculture the main economic booster of the state.The Governor who reaffirmed the state as the country's number one rice producer maintained that the ban would go a long way in revolutionising rice production in the state."Hence forth we will no longer purchase imported rice for government institutions,schools and during festive seasons as well as for any palliative to be carried out by the government.Only Niger state locally made rice will now be bought for all government institutions."We have to encourage our farmers, so that with time,they will improve more on their processing skills,improve their economic power and boost the state internally generated revenue base."I am optimistic that through rice farming and production we can improve our IGR and I hope your association will come with a blueprint that will help the state as well as the farmers to benefit from this program."The governor then assured the association of his administration's reediness to boost agricultural activities in the state.Adding that a committee will be set up to look into how to transform rice production in the state.Earlier the state Chairman of Rice Farms Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Mahmood Sani had called on the state government to fashion out ways by which the state can revolutionise rice production in the state so as to enable the state to maintain her leadership position among rice producers in the country.He also appealed to the state government to put in place appropriate policies that will avail her the huge revenue derivable from rice potentials and boost the it's Internal Generating Revenue IGR.