Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) has called on the federal government to enhance the framework for the food safety system in the country.
The group reiterated the need to expedite the passage of the Food Safety and Quality Bill into law to enhance access to Nigerian agricultural products in the international markets without further obstacles.
Speaking at the opening of the Food and Feed Safety Expertise Co-ordination Workshop in Abuja earlier this week, Chief Executive Designate, NESG, Mr Tayo Aduloju, said the delay in the passage of the bill had partly contributed to the continued rejection of some of the export products by foreign countries especially the European Union (EU), United States, and the United Kingdom, among others.
The event was necessitated as the US said Nigerian products often don’t meet all the regulatory and safety requirements specified by the country, leading to their rejections.
Mr Aduloju said the event marked a critical juncture in the country’s global efforts towards transforming food systems, emphasising the vital role of coordination, cooperation, and collaboration among relevant stakeholders.
He said Nigeria’s commitment to upholding the highest food safety standards remained paramount to its well-being and progress, stressing that through collaboration and pooling collective expertise, the regulatory frameworks would be strengthened, enhancing the overall quality of food and feed in our country.
He said Nigeria’s 70 million hectares of agricultural land, presented massive potential for economic growth and development.
“We must have effective regulatory, institutional, and policy frameworks. Frameworks that address the gaps in food and feed safety systems will not only improve the well-being of citizens but also impact Nigeria’s position in international trade,” he added.
The incoming NESG chief executive also stated that reforming food and feed safety systems was inevitable for Nigeria to benefit effectively from the AfCFTA.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to show political will and authorisation towards the passage of the Food Safety and Quality Bill – which was passed by both chambers of the legislature last year but couldn’t get the crucial assent of the president to become.
He said the government needed not to wait for another four years to pass the bill as this could be accomplished within a year.
Mr Aduloju said safety and quality remained a key component of the food security agenda of the current administration, adding that it was time for political authorisation to align with policy and legislative action to make it happen.
He said passing the bill into law would also ensure that the country’s food exports can access international markets, especially when attracting foreign exchange is inevitable to shore up reserves.
