Business
Lecturer Okays Proposed Ban On Rice Importation
The Chairman, Rivers
State Branch of Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON), Dr Awotein George, has described the Federal Government’s proposed ban on rice importation as sound economic policy.
He said this in Port Harcourt, last Thursday, in an interview with our correspondent.
George, also a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Fisheries, Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt, lauded the government for its decision.
According to him, the policy will not only save the country the billions of naira expended on rice importation, but create employment and boost the GDP.
He said that the policy was workable because the nation was blessed with expanse of fertile lands that had been left fallow for years.
George said that rice had become a staple food in homes and that the policy would succeed.
He said that the policy would better the lots of many Nigerians in one way or the other.
He, however, advised that the country’s porous borders should be properly secured to check activities of smugglers.
George advised unemployed youths to cash in on the policy and embark on farming business as the white-collar jobs were no longer readily available.
He advised government to assist farmers directly with necessary facilities including soft loans, fertiliser and tractors, among others, to boost production.
George said that the basic and important factor in every business was availability of market for a product or service, adding that ‘rice market is not a problem.’
According to George, it is more profitable to invest in agriculture than in some other businesses and advised businessmen and women to venture into the sector.
He said that it was only in Nigeria that almost everything was being imported, a situation, he said amounted to job creation for the exporting countries.