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Senate Bemoans EU Ban of Agricultural Products in Nigeria,Calls for Action

Senate Bemoans EU Ban of Agricultural Products in Nigeria,Calls for Action
In response to the European Union (EU) ban on Nigerian agricultural exports, the Senate has called on the Ministry of Health, Agriculture, National Agency for Food and Drugs Agency (NAFDAC) and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria among others to ensure that health and regulatory compliances are met in order to overturn the ban.    

A motion titled “The Ban on Nigeria Agricultural Exports Products by European Union”, at the Senate plenary on Wednesday, 6th August, moved by the Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Francis Alimikhena (Edo North) viewed that the EU banned Nigeria’s export of agricultural products such as melon seeds, palm oil, fish, dried meat, and beans which according to them is due to the country’s failure to adhere to global health practices. Sighting the instance of the banned beans which contained 0.03mg kilograms of 4.6mg/kg of `dichlorvos, said to be above the acceptable limits of pesticides.

In his remarks, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki called for concerted efforts to ensure reversal of the ban which he tagged “unacceptable and “embarrassing”.

The Senate accordingly resolved to:
(a) Urge the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control to be alive to its regulatory oversight over food and agricultural products as they are doing with Drugs, to ensure their global acceptance;
(b) Urge the Ministry of Agriculture, Health, NAFDAC, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria and the Natural Institute of Chemical Research and the newly inaugurated National Food Safety Management Committee to see the EU ban as a wake-up call to sanitise food and agricultural products import into Nigeria.
(c)  Mandate the Committee on Health and Agriculture when constituted to look into the matter with a view of overturning the EU ban on Nigerian agricultural products.
(d) That the extension workers in the Ministry of Agriculture embark on massive education and enlightenment of the largely illiterate farmers on the issue of safety and standards. 

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