The federal government has restated its commitment to implement the National Fertiliser Quality Control (NFQC) Act 2019 by ensuring that fertiliser regulatory system is in place.
Permanent secretary, Federal of Agricultural and Rural Development, Dr Abdulkadir Mu’azu speaking the mind of the government said the initiative would increase agricultural productivity for national food security.
Speaking during the Operationalisation of the National Fertiliser Quality Control (NFQC) Act, 2019 meeting held in Abuja, Dr Mu’azu stated that the policy would safeguard the interest of the farmers against nutrient deficiencies, adulteration, misleading claims as well as short weight.
According to him, ‘”It will also safeguard interests of fertilisers enterprises ,thereby creating part of the enabling environment for private sector investment in the fertiliser industry and protect the environment against potential dangers that may result from the use of harmful substances in fertiliser.”
He informed that the ministry has however been unrelenting in the bid to set in motion the enforcement of the Fertiliser Act and accordingly develop regulations for its implementation which has been forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Justice for review by legal draftsmen and subsequent gazetting.
In his presentation on key areas of the NFQC Act and the regulations, Prof. Yemi Akinseye – George (SAN), said that the federal government and relevant stakeholders of the fertilisers industry have taken the bull by the horn by enacting a robust legal framework for quality control in the country.
In his introductory remark, director, Department of Farm Inputs Support Services in the Ministry , Engr Tunde Bello stated that the meeting will address the critical issues relating to operationalisation of the NFQC Act 2019, particularly the issue of charges and the regulation of the manufacture ,importation, distribution ,sales and quality of fertilisers in Nigeria.