Senate Demands 44bn Naira Payment For Rice Importation Debt

The Chairman of the Nigerian Senate committee investigating rice waivers, Senator Adamu Aliero, has demanded that Stallion Group and Olam International pay 44 billion Naira as import duties on rice importation owed the Nigerian Government.


The two foreign companies, who are involved in rice importation into Nigeria, appeared before the Senate committee which is investigating the flagrant abuse of the rice waiver policy in the nation.
While demanding payment of the money, Senator Aliero, said Nigeria would not fold its hands and watch the huge debt swept under the carpet.
Speaking in his defence, the Executive Director of Stallion Group, Harpreet Singh, claimed that its mission in Nigeria was to ensure that the country was self-sufficient in rice production, and equally ensure that Nigeria is saved from scarcity of the product.
Recently, the Senate summoned the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, to explain why he lifted ban on rice importation through land borders.
Senator Aliero said that the Senate was concerned that the decision by the Comptroller-General of Customs to liberalise the importation of rice to the extent of lifting the ban on land importation of rice would worsen rice smuggling into Nigeria.