Our operation in agric sector is like that of NAFDAC, but... - NAQS Director

By Seye Adeniyi - updated: Wednesday 11-06-2008

Mrs. Stella Onwuadegbo, NAQS
directorFor people whose major business and operation is to bring into the country illegal and substandard agricultural products, diseased plant materials or pest-infected agricultural commodities and food items as well as unapproved horticultural plants, they are better warned to stop this illegal businesses and look elsewhere to perpetrate their illegal activities as the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) is now more prepared and ever ready than before to beam its search light on them and curtail their activities.

The executive director, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Ibadan head office, Mrs. Stella Onwuadegbo, gave this warning after issuing certificates of training and competence to over forty quarantine inspectors who recently completed their training and are expected to be stationed at over 46 entry and exit points located at international airports, seaports, land borders and general post offices nationwide and whose duties, among others, is to intercept, inspect and provide water-tight security for all imports and exports of agricultural commodities.

The quarantine intermediate officers who have been under training on agricultural services phytosanitary for three weeks at the Ibadan NAQS office were also enjoined to be good representatives of the agency and discharge their duties at their duty posts without fear or favour so that the country can be free of pests and diseased agricultural commodities and plant materials in order for our agricultural sector to develop.

Speaking during the centificate awarding ceremony, the NAQS director said many illegal plants traders and illegal importers and exporters may want to capitalise on the recent food crisis in the country to perpetrate their nefarious activities by bringing into the country sub-standard agricultural products as well as make money by importing diseased or poisonous food items into the country and sell it for human consumption. But you should not give them chance, you are expected to render your services according to the laid down international standards and specifications. If you do this as you have been trained, then your conscience will be clear and you will not be like those people or be linked with people making money through the sale of diseased plant materials and poisonous, dangerous agricultural commodities that is responsible and has been linked to the death of many Nigerians.”

Also speaking with newsmen after the closing ceremony which took place inside the auditorium hall of the agency’s office, Mrs. Stella Onwuadegbo explained that the activities and operation of the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS), formerly known as Nigeria Plant Quarantine Services (NPQS) is exactly like those of National Agency for Foods, Drugs, Administration and Control (NAFDAC), but only that NAFDAC is more popularly and enjoys high publicity because they are dealing with the control and administration of drugs and pharmaceutical products which many people believe is very important and sensitive as it has to do with human health and life.

“But that does not mean NAQS is not doing its work or is not popular. In fact, I want to say that we operate in silence with little noise, but people doing business and earning a living in the agricultural sector of the economy know and appreciate our activities and understand our modus operandi better. We can liken our activities to that of a the quiet watch-dogs in the agricultural sector. NAQS is an arm of the federal ministry of agriculture and it is also the official National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) mandated with international recognition to protect our agricultural economy and the natural environment from destructive foreign plant pests i.e importation of plant materials and regulated articles amongst various other activities,” the NAQS director further emphasised.

Explaining further, the iron-lady of NAQS as she is fondly called said both staff and stakeholders in the agency have done a lot to protect both the plant and public health from the activities of illegal plant traders, adding that if not for the agency, a lot of dangerous plant materials, poisonous fruits and vegetables, as well as agricultural commodities that are injurious to people’s health would have taken over the Nigerian markets.

“NAQS ensures that our agricultural export meets international standards and satisfies specific phytosanitary (i.e. plant health) conditions of importing countries for the plants and plant products to be acceptable in international markets (i.e export of agricultural products).”

Apart from all the above duties, Mrs. Stella Onwuadegbo said the agency also makes sure that anybody travelling out of the country with our local or traditional food items and horticultural plants and products is invited and such products would be thoroghly screened and tested with sophisticated equipment which the agency can boast of in order to certify that such agricultural products are pest and disease-free before being exported.

The agency operates also under the International Plant Protection Convention which is also a member of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and any time quarantine inspectors make any interception of illegal plant materials or agricultural products, they hand over the culprits to the law enforcement agents for due prosecution under he Nigerian laws.

Furthermore, the NAQS director said the NAQS bill that will give more power of arrest and prosecution of illegal plant traders is already in the justice ministry and after approval, the president would then give assent to it and it would becomes operative.” Probably Nigerians at that time, you will begin to hear our name like that of NAFDAC, she stressed.

Onwuadegbo moreover warned people not to contemplate importing soil, seeds, seedlings, fruits, horticultural plant and plant products into the country or export such products without clearance from NAQS. People have to obtain plant import/export permit because any offenders risks fines or imprisonment. Such people may also be totally banned from further engagement in import and export business of plant materials.

Oyo take steps to ensure food security

By Sade Oguntola

Governor Alao-AkalaOYO state government has given food security a boost with the official launching of the expanded phase of the National Programme for Food Security (NPFS) in the state. At a colourful ceremony held at D’Rovans hotel, Ibadan, the state Governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, reinstated the commitment of his administration to improving the agricultural sector for a better life for farmers in the state.

Chief Alao-Akala said his administration’s identification with the aspiration and objectives of the National Programme for Food Security, is based on the genuine efforts of NPFS to improve the agricultural sector for a better life for the farmers in the pace-setter state.

The governor enumerated steps taken by his administration to improve food security such as the establishment and sustenance of three additional sites for the implementation of Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS); payment of counterpart contributions towards the implementation of Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP) and Fadama II project.

Also in an effort to give agricultural extension services a boost, he declared 141 agricultural extension officers had been recruited to the agriculture ministry to ensure full coverage of field activities, adding that with this recent recruitment exercise, the number of field staff that would provide service to the 415,030 farms families in the state has greatly increased.

The full complement of trained extension staff, who have means of mobility coupled with provision of farm inputs, improved seeds, fertilisers and credit, he stated, must be seen to improve farmer’s productivity and ensure food security and sufficiency. However, as part of efforts to make life easier for farming communities in the state, the governor highlighted that Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) had received money in its capital and recurrent expenditure for the completion of several water schemes and dams in the state, including the Akufo farm settlement water scheme in Ido local government area council of the state as well as the Sanusi dam in the Oluyole local govenrment area of the state.

Governor Akala also assured that the collation of agricultural resources and activities in the state has also been attended to as it has established an Agricultural Information Management Scheme to provide the required data base for all necessary information activities that are agricultural-related which are important for agricultural planning, production and market linkages.

Earlier, Barrister Kunle Ishola, the Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, in his welcome address, said the forum was aimed at informing and creating awareness on the concept and implementation arrangements of the expanded phase of NPFS.

While acknowledging past commitment of staff of OYSADEP to several agricultural development programmes such as NPSF, Barrister Ishola further urged farmers in the state to take advantage of the challenges and opportunities given to them by the current state government to move agriculture forward and ensure food security.