Lai Mohammed Raises Alarm Over Imported Rice, Says Not Good For Consumption

Lai Mohammed

Nigeria’s minister of information Alhaji Lai Mohammed has raised the alarm that rice being imported into Africa’s most populated nation is not good for human consumption.

Mohammed, who made this known during a media briefing in Oro, Ifelodun area of his home state, Kwara, on Tuesday, said the imported rice was meant to feed cattle in their countries of origin.

To this end, Mohammed advised Nigerians to consume the locally produced rice.

The minister said, “People may say that imported rice is still cheaper. Oh yes, for three reasons: One, the ones being imported is rice that is no longer fit for human consumption. They are dumping it here. The rice is sub-standard. They even give the rice on credit for people to buy, because they know that the rice they are exporting should be given to cattle. That is why we have embarked on the campaign in the mass media that Nigerians should buy made in Nigeria rice.

He added, “Why imported rice is cheaper is that it is not fit for consumption. It is being dumped. It is rice that has been kept in silos for years that is being unleashed on Nigerians; but because it is not coming through the proper channels, it is being smuggled.

“Many of the imported brands of rice will not pass the NAFDAC test; that is why we have continued to campaign that Nigerians should patronise Nigerian rice, because it is the only healthy rice. No Nigerian rice is older than one year.”





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