ABUJA – Following the recent signing of African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has called on the Federal Government to put stringent measures in place to protect over N1trn investments in the poultry sub-sector.
The association also tasked the Federal Government through the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and other security agencies at the borders to work assiduously to forestall Nigeria from being a dumping ground for frozen poultry products imported into the country through various nation’s porous borders.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja at the end of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of PAN, Mr. Ezekiel Ibrahim, the National President of the Association, called on Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to brace-up to the emerging challenges and step up its anti-smuggling activities across all borders in the country.
vto release the copy of the AfCFTA he signed to the public to enable private sector and critical stakeholders to study the agreement.
While commending the Federal Government for its various initiatives and interventions geared towards improving the poultry industry in Nigeria, he pleaded with the Federal Government to introduce eating of eggs as part of menu of school feeding programme, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), prisons services, Armed Forces and police, among others.
He said: “The NEC appreciates the Federal and State governments on the various policies adopted to strengthen the poultry industry. Such policies include the School Feeding Programme having an egg as part the menu.
“That considering the importance of the poultry industry to the socio economic development of the country in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment generation, and food security, the stakeholders agreed to work together for the progress and unity of the industry.
“NEC observed that there has been increase in poultry investments in the country, and subsequently production has increased. Following from this, PAN implore the Federal Government to incorporate egg and chicken into the School Feeding Programme of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS), Prison Services, Armed Forces and Police and support by the National Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).”
Ibrahim further lauded the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for its provision of various intervention funds at single digit interest rate.
He however pointed out that the medium and small scale poultry farmers were yet to enjoy same.
Ibrahim implored the CBN to consider this category of poultry farmers as well as urging the government through the Joint Tax Board to eliminate all kinds of multiple taxations and Value Added Tax (VAT) on poultry raw materials and products since they were food.
Also speaking, Dr. Onallo Akpa, the Director-General of PAN, said poultry sector had become the most capitalised of the Nigerian agriculture, adding that Nigeria was self-sufficient in poultry production.
Akpa said the poultry sub-sector had created jobs for about 20 millon Nigerians, adding that the poultry industry would continue to grow the economy to ensure food security, self-sufficiency and guarantee national security.
The post Protect Poultry Industry Against Smuggling, PAN Tells FG appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.
Source: Independent
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