The Farm Inputs Support Services (FISS) of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has vowed to crack down on individuals and companies who adulterate fertilizers, adding that those found guilty will face a punishment of up to 10 years in prison.
This warning was made during a one-day capacity building for fertilizer quality control inspectors across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to focus on the enforcement of provisions of the National Fertilizer Quality Control Act, 2019 and the Regulations, 2020, targeted at promoting organic fertilizer preparation and use of eco-friendly agricultural technologies.
The Director, FISS, Kwaido Sani, while speaking during the training, tagged ‘Zonal Sensitization Training Workshop for Fertilizer Quality Control Inspectors and other Relevant Stakeholders’ noted that the event was meant to ensure that anybody within the system produces what is required and is based on set standards.
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“Our warning to adulterators is that time has passed where you can do whatever you want. Now the law is in place and the law is stringent, it does not respect who you are, as far as you are involved in any cases of adulteration, diversion and what have you, the law will take its course on you and it is a very severe, it is up to 10 years imprisonment without option depending on the degree of the offense.
“We also have another law covering the West African sub-region, of which Nigeria is a member and we have endorsed that and any product produced in Nigeria; can be sold freely in West African countries.
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According to him, from 1st of January 2023, the security agency working with FISS inspectors has been sealing any premises that do not display a copy of its Certificate of Registration or sales permit, explaining that Certificate of Registration is for the input producers and sales permit is for the distributors.
