Senate Conducts Public Hearing on Senator Mustapha’s Bills
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production Services and Rural Development, Senator Saliu Mustapha, has reiterated the National Assembly’s commitment to advancing Nigeria’s agricultural transformation through sound legislative frameworks that promote food security, job creation, and self-sufficiency.
Speaking at a public hearing held on Monday, Senator Mustapha emphasized that the deliberations on three key agricultural bills mark a defining moment in Nigeria’s journey toward sustainable food production and economic diversification.
The bills under consideration include the Cassava Flour (Mandatory Inclusion into Flour Production) Bill, the National Food Reserve Agency (Establishment) Bill, and the Rice Development Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill.
Senator Mustapha, who doubles as the sponsor of two of the bills—the Cassava Inclusion Bill and the National Food Reserve Agency Bill—explained that the proposed legislations aim to reduce Nigeria’s heavy dependence on food imports while empowering local farmers and processors.
According to him, the Cassava Flour Inclusion Bill seeks to make it mandatory for all flour producers in Nigeria to include 20 percent high-quality cassava flour in wheat production, a move expected to cut Nigeria’s annual $5 billion wheat import bill. He noted that the bill would also create sustainable markets for cassava farmers, encourage agro-processing, and introduce tax incentives for producers who blend cassava with wheat.
On the National Food Reserve Agency Bill, Senator Mustapha said the establishment of the agency would enhance national food security, stabilize food prices, and ensure the availability of food commodities during crises. “The present hardship arising from soaring food prices can be mitigated through a functional food reserve system that maintains buffer stocks for price stabilization and food availability,” he stated.
The third bill, the Rice Development Council of Nigeria Bill, sponsored by Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero, was also highlighted by Senator Mustapha as a strategic step toward achieving rice self-sufficiency. He noted that the bill would drive research, innovation, and capacity building across the rice value chain, helping to reduce the nation’s $2 billion rice import expenditure.
Senator Mustapha urged stakeholders to contribute meaningfully to the legislative process, describing the hearing as an avenue for “the voice of Nigeria to echo through the halls of the National Assembly.”
“As we deliberate, let our debates be vigorous but respectful, and our decisions guided by patriotism. Together, we can build a Nigeria where agriculture is not a relic of the past, but the engine of our tomorrow,” he concluded.
