Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Enoh, stated this at a public hearing on a Bill for an Act to Amend the National Sugar Development Council Act in Abuja on Thursday.
Enoh said that sugar had a role to play in making the President Bola Tinubu-led administration’s plan of building one trillion dollars economy.
He expressed regret over the failure of the Sugar Master Plan initiated in 2012 to substitute sugar imports.
The minister urged stakeholders and lawmakers to devise legislations that would strengthen the law regulating sugar.
He also expressed the ministry’s determination to take the amendment seriously in order to enhance a sugar-driven economy.
Earlier, the Speaker of House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, said that the purpose of the public hearing was to cross-fertilise ideas on enhancing the functions of Sugar Development Council.
Abbas, represented by the Chief Whip, Rep. Usman Kumo, restated the commitment of the legislature to bringing the council at par with global standards.
He implored all the stakeholders to feel free to exchange ideas for the desired development of the sugar council.
Also speaking, the Chairman, House Committee on Industry, Dr Enitan Badru, said that the bill was aimed at redefining the country’s sugar industry.
Badru said that the bill would galvanise strategies to position the industry for development.
He urged the stakeholders to make meaningful contributions that would enhance efficiency in the sugar industry.
The Deputy Comptroller of Customs in charge of Tariffs and Trade, Mr Kingsley Chukwuemeka, expressed the readiness of Nigeria Customs Service to align with implementation of laws that would improve the country’s economy. (NAN)
