NASS to pass Seed Bill Act – Mongonu

The Chairman House Committee on Agriculture, Tahir Mongonu has revealed that the National assembly will pass the “Seed Bill Act” immediately the house resumed from its recession.

The Bill which had earlier been passed by the last National Assembly in the last regime led by former President Goodluck Jonatthan according to the law maker was declined by the President is said to have gone through the second reading in the present assembly.

Mongonu made this revelation at the National Agricultural Seeds Council, on the occasion of “Seed Fair and Farmers Field Day” held at the council Headquarters Sheda Gwagwalada, Abuja on Tuesday.

He said: “The bill was passed last year but unfortunately, it was not accepted by Mr. President before the life section of that administration ended but having regards to the importance attached to the seed bill, because once you are able to solve the problem of seed in Agriculture, you have been able to solve 50% of the agricultural problems.

With that importance and with the view to stamp out quack in the Seed industry as well as encourage genuine entrepreneurs, there is the need to pass that bill into law.

“Already it has gone through second reading and it is coming up in the consideration report immediately we resume. With regards to, if it is not acceptable by Mr. President, why did we do it, we have rules which are governing us, we have constitutional rules which are governing us whereby, the National Assembly can override.

I want to believe that the president is very passionate about agriculture. That is why one of the major drivers of this administration is diversification to agriculture;

so, I want to believe that immediately the bill is passed by the national assembly, the president will accent to it and sign it so that we will have a robust seed industry that will be regulated by the National Agricultural Seed Council and will be in charge of the market”.

When asked about allegations that some organizations imported fake seeds to the country recently he quipped that it is the reason why the seed act needs to be passed urgently for regulations by the NASC.

“That is the main reason why there is the need to pass the bill so that NASC will be able to regulate the seeds given to the farmers. They will have the mandate that anyone in possession of adulterated seed will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly”, he said.