Business
Economic Recovery: RMAFC Urges Solid Minerals Dev
The Acting Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mr Shettima Abba-Gana has called for a sustained intervention in the solid minerals sector to enhance economic recovery and growth.
Abba-Gana made the call in Abuja in an interview with newsmen.
He spoke on the report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that the nation had exited recession in the second quarters of 2017.
NBS had last Tuesday announced that the nation, which slipped into recession in 2016 following five consecutive quarter contraction, was out of recession.
Abba-Gana said that diversification through the solid minerals sector and agriculture were the surest ways to sustain the economy.
“RMAFC has been at the fore-front of diversification, urging states and local governments to embrace it fully. The best tools of diversification for the Nigerian economy are solid minerals and agriculture.
“Solid minerals are in every state and local government; so we must rededicate our attention to it as it can create employment, boost the economy and generate revenue.
“In addition, let the state governments be interested in solid minerals in their states, because they will get 13 per cent derivation, just like those from oil producing states,’’ he said.
Abba-Gana said that illegal miners, who made up 80 per cent of miners in Nigeria, should be brought on board and educated on the new techniques of modern mining to boost the nation’s revenue base.
He commended the Federal Government for taking Nigeria out of recession, adding that the feat was made possible because of the measures it employed.
“We are very happy that the recession has come to an end; it was initially caused by the collapse in the price of crude oil and the fact that we did not manage the surplus when we had.
“What has happened now is the discipline that this government has brought into place and the fact that the government has found ways of increasing sources of funds by efficient revenue generation and collection.
“Some borrowing also helped to revamp the economy,’’ the RMAFC chief said.
Abba-Gana expressed optimism that the exit would bring about more Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) as the citizens and foreign investors would begin to have more confidence in the economy.
The Tide source reports that the data released by NBS showed that the country’s GDP grew by 0.55 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms in the second quarters of 2017.
The bureau added that the recovery was driven principally by the performances of oil, agriculture, manufacturing and trade sectors.
Business
NAFDAC Decries Circulation Of Prohibited Food Items In markets …….Orders Vendors’ Immediate Cessation Of Dealings With Products
Importers, market traders, and supermarket operators have therefore, been directed to immediately cease all dealings in these items and to notify their supply chain partners to halt transactions involving prohibited products.
The agency emphasized that failure to comply will attract strict enforcement measures, including seizure and destruction of goods, suspension or revocation of operational licences, and prosecution under relevant laws.
The statement said “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised an alarm over the growing incidence of smuggling, sale, and distribution of regulated food products such as pasta, noodles, sugar, and tomato paste currently found in markets across the country.
“These products are expressly listed on the Federal Government’s Customs Prohibition List and are not permitted for importation”.
NAFDAC also called on other government bodies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service(NIS) Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Shippers Council, and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), to collaborate in enforcing the ban on these unsafe products.
