Border Closure: FG’s Ban On Foreign Rice Yielding Positive Results, Says Gbajabiamila

Speaker House of Rep: Femi Gbajabiamila

The Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has said the Federal Government’s ban on foreign rice is yielding the desired results.

Speaking in Lagos at his annual End of the Year Grassroots Empowerment Programme on Sunday, the Speaker said the masses are now forced to now consume locally farmed products, especially Nigerian rice following the closure of the nation’s land borders.

“I must say the impact of closing Nigeria’s borders to foreign rice is yielding results. I am sure so many farmers are now smiling to the bank.

“The volume of Christmas rice sales made by Nigerian farmers speaks to the emerging culture of eating what we grow,” a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker quoted Gbajabiamila as saying.

The lawmaker also reiterated the commitment of the Ninth Assembly to meet up the aspirations of their constituents.

In doing so, he noted that the legislature would continue to work with the executive arm to bring more developmental projects to them.

He however denied claims by some Nigerians that the current National Assembly is a rubber stamp of the executive arm, stressing that good collaboration between the two arms is always in the best interest of Nigerians.

“People, critics and people of other parties have said the 9th Assembly is a rubber stamp to the Executive. They may have told you that too.

“The fact is that the National Assembly is not a rubber stamp. This is a National Assembly that represents the interests of the people. The people of Surulere did not elect me to fight the Executive but to engage and collaborate with stakeholders to bring dividends of democracy,” he stated.

On the issue of the budget, he explained that the nation has returned back to the January to December budget cycle.

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