By David Peter
Mr. M. J. Usua; South South Regional Coordinator of The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) an agency of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and regulation of the Nigeria seed industry as enshrined in the National Agricultural Seed Act 72 of 1992 shove Cross River State Rice Seedling factory to pin seeds and seedlings certification with the council before its distribution to the rural community’s and state’s in the southern, Nigeria.
Mr. M. J. Usua, The South South Regional Director addressed the Cross State Government in the Stakeholder Sensitization Forum of the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) South South Sensitization in attendance were the; Permanent Secretary, Min. Of Agric, Program Manager, Cross River State ADP, NIRSAL State Cordinator, FADAMA III, State Cordinator and Commodity Associations.
Mr. Usua, who unleashed the NASC council structure to the stakeholders and functions on Seed Coordination and Management Services, Seed Certification, Quality Control, Crop Registration and Varietal Release, Seed Information and Seed Inspectorate appeal to the Cross River State Government and Management of CRS Seedling Factory to pin certification and registration with the NASC as mandatory and constitutional for official recognition. He further expressed; the criteria processes for accreditation unleashing its penalty on defaults organisation in accordance to Section 22 (1) of seeds Act; Section 17 (2) of the seed Act; Section 17 (3) of the seed Act; Section 18 (1) of the seeds Act and Section 27 of the seeds Act.
Usua speaking, “Cross River State is blessed. There’s nothing you can not grow here. The state is venerated with green vegetations and as a Malabite who schooled in the University of Calabar, Cross River State i have great interest for the key agricultural growth of the state. I am ready to welcomed and collaborate with the State Government to boost its agricultural activities”. However, The Cross River State Seedling Factory should obey and abide the law as established in 1992 on the seed act.
Continuing, He said; “Cross River needs to do an official recognition with NASC as enshrined in Section 22 (1) of the seeds Act, as stated; ” No person Registered under the seed Act shall produce or be engaged in the production, processing and marketing of seeds for commercial purpose (meaning registration with the council is a must)”, He asserted.
Mr. Usua, lengthy expressed; the key relevance of NASC as aimed to analyze and formulate programmes, policies and actions regarding seed development and the seed industry in Nigeria thus advising the Federal Government on the management and financing of seed programmes to recognized and liaise with the certification officer to ensure the seeds for cultivation are pure and verified before its dissemination.
Usua said, “The Management of the Seedling factory should liaise and recognized with the Cross River State Coordinator to ensure the seeds are pure, hybrid and viable”.
He added; “The distribution of the rice paddy and seedlings should also be verified by our certification officer’s before dispatching to other state or rural regions as constitutional and established in 1992 of the seed acts” to ensure there’s a pure quality and climate friendly seedlings allocation to the various state”.
Mr. Aliyu, The Nigeria Incentives-Based Risked-Sharing System for Agricultural lending (NIRSAL) State coordinator, speak on partnership with the CRS Rice Seeds and Seeding Factory.
Aliyu said; “We have partner with the CRS Rice Seeds and Seedling Factory and we are ready to work with farming farmers in the field to assist finance on seeds multiplication in Cross River State”. “Howbeit, i urge the Cross State government to seeks for more collaboration with the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) recalling, that a huge finance is awarded for this project so there’s need to have a pure and viable seeds distribution as checkmate by the certification officer’s of National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) a regulatory agency under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to boost and sustain its productivity and regained its financial investment”. Aliyu affirmed.
Mr. Stephen Unuigbe, A representative of National Agricultural Seeds Council sensitize on the penalty of operating contrary to the above regulations.
Stephen speaking; I need to inform you on The penalty for operational defaulters as ranges from warning, stop sales order, fine ranging from 0.8million to 5million, seizure and forfeiting of the seed lot to Federal Government, and finally instituting legal action against the offender which may lead to imprisonment/payment of fine in accordance to Section 27 of seeds Act”, He profess.
The Regional Director Mr. Usua and his representative Mr. Stephen Unuigbe of National Agricultural Seeds Council assured the leadership of Cross River State a huge welcomed to the district office for collaboration and boosting the agricultural potentials in State.
“I thanked you all distinguished stakeholders for attending this meeting and i yen the management of Cross River State to pin certification and legal distribution of seedlings so as to boost the state agricultural potentials and trim illicit awakening distributor in the near future for the effectiveness of a greener pasture.”
“Still and all, we are ready to work and collaborate with the state to exercise of regulatory act”. Usua, said.
