Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has said that it will liaise with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to investigate the alleged importation of garri from India.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who made this known on Wednesday in Abuja, said that it was strange and ridiculous that garri would be imported when there was enough supply of cassava and garri in the country.
He said that the country was producing more cassava than India, adding that Nigerians must change their attitude towards imported goods.
The News Agency of Nigeria quoted the minister as saying, “Whoever buys that kind of garri should be blamed. I have heard of it. I will find out by tomorrow (Thursday) if NAFDAC indeed did certify any garri from India; unless it is some Indian companies packaging the garri here.
“Nigerians are too ready to buy anything imported. They will bring in apples and some of them have been preserved with ethanol, which is not healthy for our consumption. Whoever is importing garri from India, something must be wrong with them. Why import garri when you do not know the conditions through which the garri was produced over there?
“I have no powers to stop imports, but I can recommend to the Nigeria Customs Service that this is unreasonable. I produce and encourage Nigerians to eat what they produce, because it is safer for them.”
