An agribusiness investment company, SGL Farms, has said that the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) continues to sabotage the efforts of the Federal Government in local food production.
Stating this was the Managing Director, SGL Farms, Adegoke Oluwaseun, at a press briefing in Lagos, noting that officials of the Customs Service intimidate and harass local producers.
Oluwaseun said, “This is to let the world and every Nigerian concerned aware that governments efforts to ensure local food production is being sabotaged and frustrated by the Nigerian Customs through harassment and intimidation.
“Our problem with the NCS started January 2021 when we wanted to relocate our rice paddy due to a failed irrigation facility at our farm in Anigbado, Yewa North, Ogun State.
“We brought in the rice seeds in November last year to the farm from Kebbi State to Lagos State hitch-free but when the study came out that the rice paddy would not yield very well on the farm, our farm extension officers advised us to plant the seed at a suitable location in Niger State in anticipation of planting during the dry season.
“Consequently, when we were making an effort to move the rice seed to a better location, men of Nigeria Customs swooped onto our farm and stopped the entire process. Their action has stopped us from two planting seasons this year.”
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He added that the situation has led to investors who had given their “payment guarantee” to the firm had turned around on their financial promise, as they were viewed as “fraudulent”.
“Customs alleged that the paddy was not Nigeria-grown, these are lies because we brought this paddy rice from Oyo, Kaduna, and Ogun,” he noted.
“We have provided all necessary paperwork and receipts from various seed companies that supplied us with these paddies but everything has been fruitless. We have had to hope and remain optimistic for over eight months but nothing seems forthcoming.
“I must also state that some investors we also gave payment guarantees have now concluded that we are fraudulent. This situation is now at its peak and we simply do not see any end in sight. It has always been from one unit or agency to the other.
“This is a call to relevant and concerned Nigerians for intervention. Many of our investors are battling one ailment or the other, some are in a serious financial mess and even workers’ salaries are now a luxury as the company cannot access any inflow to settle all these liabilities.”
