Senator Mustapha’s Bill on Cassava Flour Passes Second Reading

…Moves Motion for Construction of Pedestrian Bridge at Oko-Olowo Intersection

The Senate has approved the second reading of the Cassava Flour (Mandatory Inclusion in Flour Production) Bill, 2023 (SB 254), sponsored by Senator Saliu Mustapha of Kwara Central.

This is the third bill sponsored by Senator Mustapha to pass a second reading within his first seventeen months in the National Assembly.

The bill seeks to provide a legal framework mandating the inclusion of 20% high-quality cassava flour in the production of wheat flour and its derivatives. It aims to reduce Nigeria’s $3 billion annual wheat import bill, stimulate local cassava farming, and create sustainable economic opportunities in agriculture and industry.

In his lead debate, Senator Mustapha, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production Services and Rural Development, stated that Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of cassava, with an annual output of over 63 million metric tons, representing one-third of Africa’s total production as of 2021.

He noted that the country can take advantage of the growing demand for cassava both domestically and internationally, particularly as it is increasingly being used in energy production.

The Senator noted that the legislation was designed to address the negative economic impacts of wheat importation, including trade imbalances, foreign exchange losses, and dependency on external markets.

Senator Mustapha outlined the bill’s key provisions, including tax incentives for producers and importers who incorporate cassava flour, as well as the publication of regulations governing cassava-to-wheat ratios in edible flour production.

He stated that the bill aligns with the Federal Government’s 20% Cassava Flour Inclusion Policy, introduced in 2021.

“This bill, when passed into law, will stimulate job creation in the agriculture sector and increase our market share of cassava earnings in foreign exchange,” Senator Mustapha said.

The bill now moves to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development for further deliberations.

The Senator also moved a motion under Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended), calling for the urgent construction of a pedestrian overhead bridge with a motorcycle ramp at the Oko-Olowo Intersection on the Ilorin-Jebba Federal Highway.

He explained that the Oko-Olowo Intersection, located between Ilorin South and West Local Government Areas of Kwara State, serves as a crucial gateway for the movement of goods and people between the Northern and South-Western States of Nigeria.

Mustapha noted that the intersection lacks essential safety features, such as a pedestrian overhead bridge, making it extremely hazardous for pedestrians crossing the highway.

“This deficiency has turned the intersection into a deadly trap for both pedestrians and motorists, resulting in frequent fatalities and property damage. Between November 2023 and January 2024 alone, over 50 lives were lost at this spot, with the most tragic incident claiming 25 lives in a single event in November 2023.”