The Permanent Secretary, Ministry off Agriculture and Forestry, Produce/
Forestry sub- sector, Mr Oluwagbenga Akingbasote, mni, has frowned at the rate at which some merchants and other individuals adulterate produce items, especially cocoa beans and palm kernel.
According to the Press Officer, Sola Omoboyowa, noted that the Permanent Secretary described those involved in the act as economic saboteurs and called on all stakeholders in the state to join hands with the government to put an end to what he referred to as being inimical to the growth of produce trade in the State and Country at large.
As a follow up to the recent state-wide inspection and sensitization tour led by the Permanent Secretary, Produce Officials were mandated to continue going round. This culminated in the arrest of some people in lara-Mokin, caught processing and bagging cocoa placenta for distribution to their customers who specialize in adulterating produce items.
Mr Akingbasote explained further that the Director of Licensing and Pests Control, Mr Sunday Dosumu and other officers made the discovery of the illegal activity and teamed up with the Director of produce grading and allied matters, Mr Adefulire Adeyemi; the
Director Anti-Smuggling, Mr. Festus Akinrotimi and the Deputy Director, Mr. Rufus
Akinnadeju.
The Ministry discovered that the illicit business had been going on for years, where they buy and process cocoa placentas, using them for adulteration purpose. Similar things
are reportedly done with respect to palm kernel, rubber and others.
Suspects involved were invited to the Ministry for questioning and made to sign an undertaking that they will not go back to the illegal business again, after which they paid the stipulated fine. They also forfeited the seized adulterants, which were destroyed.
The Ministry used the opportunity, during the destruction of the seized adulterants, to appeal to those still indulging in the illegal acts to desist or face the wrath of the law.
Head, Publicity & Media Relations, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Sola Omoboyowa,
