Business
Thai Govt To Support FG’s Rice, Cassava Production
The Thai Government has
said that it would support the Federal Government in its desire to boost rice and cassava production in line with its Transformation Agenda.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, made this known in Abuja when he received a delegation led by Dr Surappong Tovichakchaikul, Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Both parties held closed door discussions aimed at improving the level of bilateral relations between both countries.
Ashiru, thereafter, highlighted areas in which both parties agreed to enhance relations.
“We’ve identified areas of further future cooperation, especially in the key sectors of our economic development; agriculture being one of them.
“We’ve expressed the desire to see cooperation with Thailand in terms of helping Nigeria to improve on our own rice production locally, because we want to reduce the level of our rice import from other countries.
“Thailand, they have the experience, the manpower, the technical capability; they have promised to assist Nigeria in terms of adding value to our own rice production; not just rice, we’ve also discussed on adding value to our cassava production.
“We want to add more value to it in terms of having more derivatives and they’ve promised assistance to Nigeria in this field.
“We’ve also discussed areas of extraction — mining — and they have agreed to assist in this area which is also very welcome.”
The minister added that Nigeria had agreed to the Thai government’s request for Technical Aid Corps (TAC) volunteers in the English language.
In his address, Thailand’s deputy prime minister expressed his government’s willingness to offer technical support to Nigeria’s rice and cassava production.
He said the partnership would enable both countries to double the trade volume from 1.45 billion dollars to three billion dollars in the next five years.
“Thailand is seeking to enhance its cooperation with Africa; we consider Nigeria as our key partner. The volume of bilateral trade between Thailand and Nigeria has been increasing continuously.
“Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce has proposed that both sides aim to double the bilateral trade volume from 1.45 dollars per year to three billion dollars in the next five years. Nigeria is Thailand’s biggest rice importer in the world.
“We are mindful of Nigeria’s policy to enhance rice production capacity to substitute rice import; however, I hope Nigeria will consider continuing to import Thai rice.
“At the same time, we would like to be of assistance to you by extending rice farming technical cooperation to your country as we have done in some other African countries,“ he said
The deputy prime minister also identified several areas of cooperation between both countries, including agro-processing, especially local production of rice, cassava, the processing of gemstones, capacity building, tourism, public health, training and manpower development.
The envoy described both countries as regional hubs, underscoring the need to encourage officials to expedite efforts to conclude the trade and economic cooperation agreement between them.
He said: “The Joint Trade commission to be established under the agreement will be a vital mechanism for both sides to find ways to enhance trade and investment and address trade related issues.”
Other issues discussed included the implementation of the Prisoner Transfer Agreement and cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries.
Both parties also held discussions on enhancing development cooperation, including technical assistance and exchange of volunteers, relations with ECOWAS, and the sharing of experiences on Thai Healthcare Delivery System, among others.
Both parties agreed to support each other’s candidates for election into various international positions.
For officers and men of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the battle is not over until smuggling is over.
In the wake of Wednesday May, 8, 2024, the ever vigilant officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted 177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres containing petroleum products, valued at about N8.750,000million.
The items were intercepted along Isalu Creek, Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
While briefing newsmen, the Command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, said: “This seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“At about 2:330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by teams in the Command, credible intelligence was received of the movement of 2 boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu creeks, Badagry waterway.
“On sighting the approach of the Officers, the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek. The loaded boats were then towed to the station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only”.
Bamisaiye noted that the action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service, through Western Marine Command, is responsible for enforcing.
“The Command, under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye, is poised more than ever to rid the waterways of all acts of smuggling and economy sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria”, he said
Bamisaiye said so far, no suspect was arrested in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Petroleum products being sought by motorists have disappeared from virtually all filling stations within Lagos and its environs, but are now booming in business in retail outlets.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that while the product could not be got at some of the petrol service stations, activities are in top gear in the local retail outlets where the price has gone beyond the reach of users.
It was also gathered that in some filling stations supplied with the products, preference are often given to retail outlet operators by petrol attendants against the consuming public.
A source, directly involved in the business, said some petrol dealers are cashing on the irregular supply to divert the products to retail outlets where they could easily make their gains.
It was also gathered that some sales representatives in the service of major oil marketing firms indulged in the diversion exercise because of their personal interest.
At the retail outlets a liter goes for N950,00 against the normal N760,to N800 at some stations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has confirmed the appointment of five Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) of Customs during its 59th regular meeting.
The meeting, chaired by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, was held at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, gave details of the confirmed appointments as: O.O. Peters (DCG /Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (rtd); B.M. Jibo (DCG Enforcement Inspection & Investigation); and B.U. Nwanfor (DCG Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives).
Others are: S.A. Bomia (DCG, Commander Training and Doctrine Command); and C.K. Niagwan (DCG, Tariff & Trade).
The Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) are: B. Imam (ACG Board); A.A.S. Oloyede (ACG, Trade & Tariff); S.K. Dangaldima (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’); A. Abdul Azeez (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘D’); S.A. Yusuf (ACG, Human Resource Development); N.P. Umoh (ACG, Training and Doctrine Command); C.O. Obih (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’); and S. Chiroma (ACG, Strategic Research and Policy).
The new appointments, according to the statement, were made to fill the vacancies created by some senior officers who recently retired from the Service, noting that the principles of federal character, seniority and merit guided the appointments approved by the board.
“These appointments are a testament to the officers’ exemplary services and dedication to the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCSB remains committed to providing strategic leadership to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for optimum performance”, he said.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious services, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, congratulated the newly confirmed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the service attains greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation amongst others.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
-
Politics4 days ago
Diri Renews Call For Fiscal Federalism …As Ijaws In America Honour Bayelsa Gov, Others
-
Niger Delta2 days ago
N’Delta Women Coalition Leaders Applaud Tinubu Over Ogbuku’s Reappointment
-
Business2 days ago
Enugu, FG’s Partnership On Cassava Production Yielding Results – Commissioner
-
Business4 days ago
Expert Faults Non-Disbursement Of CVFF …Says Maritime Can Generate N7trn Annually
-
News4 days ago
NAF’ll Soon Become 3rd largest Air Force In Africa – Spokesman
-
Politics2 days ago
Fubara’s Proposed Panel Of Inquiry Excites Political Analyst
-
News2 days ago
AfDB To Support Nigeria’s Power Sector With $1bn
-
Rivers4 days ago
Don Urges Fubara To Be People-Oriented In Governance