WHY WE BANNED FOREIGN RICE IN EBONYI

The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Information, Senator Emmanuel Onwe has justified the banning of the sale and consumption of foreign rice as part of the state government’s moves to uphold the health and well being of the populace. Speaking during a courtesy visit to Vanguard Headquarters in Lagos, the commissioner also clarified issues concerning the purchase price of the locally produced rice even as he said that projected agriculture is one of the measures adopted by the Dave Umahi administration to ensure the viability of the state.

Speaking to Vanguard Editors, Onwe also appealed to the Federal Government to release the grain silos located in the state to the state administration to enable the state administration store grains. Affirming the determination of the Umahi administration to ensure the wellbeing of the populace, Onwe said that locally cultivated rice does not have the kind of chemicals used in cultivating and preserving foreign rice before they are exported to countries like Nigeria. Saying that Ebonyi Rice lacks such, he said: “our contribution will be to make local rice available and easily affordable. People also need to be rest assured that Ebonyi rice is not heavily chemicalised as other rice.” Noting recent disclosures on social media about how plastics were added to foreign rice, he said “it is a welcome development that Ebonyi government has banned the sale and consumption of foreign rice in the state.” According to the commissioner, part of the governor’s responsibilities as the chief security officer of the state is that the health and wellbeing of the populace are not compromised by such additives in foreign made rice. The commissioner also clarified issues on the pricing of Ebonyi rice. According to him, the paddy rice sells for N8,000 per bag while the processed rice which he boasted has no stones sells from N14,000.