Nigeria and Republic of Benin on Tuesday met agreed to work together to end the importation of rice through the country.
Towards this, a delegation from Republic of Benin, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), along with Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, and Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, met with Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Benin Republic delegation was led by the country’s Minister of Agriculture, Gaston Cossi Dossouhoui.
The meeting was how to solidify the agreements and tap from Nigeria’s experience in reviving rice production and stop the inflow of imported rice from member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) coming in through Benin Republic.
Earlier, members of RIFAN were in Cotonou, Benin Republic capital on the invitation of President Patrice Tallon for discussions on how to fine-tune the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on ending rice importation and reviving local rice production.
Governor Bagudu said after the meeting they also deliberated on how to replicate Nigeria’s rice farming programme in Benin Republic.
He said the move is to see how they can discontinue rice importation to West Africa.
According to the Governor, the “Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria met with the Chief of Staff to the President on the discussion which has been going on between them and Benin Republic for the two countries to replicate the success of Nigeria’s rice farming programme in Benin, so that we can stop rice importation in West Africa in the shortest possible time.
“This is partnership within the framework of ECOWAS agreement and the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) and our brotherly relationship between President Muhammadu Buhari and President Patrice Tallon, who have the same vision that we can be greater together.”
Also speaking, National President of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, explained that the Benin Republic government is desirous of learning from the Nigerian experience in rice production.
He added: “They are here because they have seen the successes recorded in the area of rice production in Nigeria and their President was so happy. He was excited.
“And he said they must come to Nigeria, partner with Nigerian rice farmers and see how Nigerian farmers can replicate the same thing in Benin Republic so that they will be able to achieve the successes this government recorded in the area of rice production.”
Asked what Nigeria can teach them, he said: “Of course, they are our sister country. We are one and the same people and I think their President is ready to accept what we have used to achieve these successes, which is the government’s will, because our successes is related with the political will that this government has.
“And that is exactly what they want to learn so that they will use the same approach to attain the successes they are seeing. They have come to us to learn more.”
President Talon had said during the delegation visit that the closure of Nigerian Borders served as an eye opener to the country as such, was ready to work with Nigeria to stop smuggling of rice.
