SENATE CRIMINALISES MAIZE EXPORT, FIXES ONE-YEAR JAIL. (PHOTO).

 Senate criminalises maize export, fixes one-year jail

The Senate on Wednesday, revised the bill aimed at prohibiting the export of maize, introducing a provision for a minimum one-year jail term for individuals convicted of exporting unprocessed maize in large quantities.

The amended bill, originating from the House of Representatives, seeks to ban the exportation of maize and its derivatives in substantial commercial amounts.

Following consideration of its clauses at the Committee of the Whole, the bill was approved through voice votes by the majority of senators.

The revised provisions state that any individual who exports, facilitates the export, induces another person to export, or attempts to export unprocessed maize—whether in grains, on cobs, fresh, or dry—in large commercial quantities of at least one metric ton or more, is guilty of an offence.

A person who contravenes the provisions of subsection (1) is liable on conviction to a fine in momentary value of the goods exported or sought to be exported or imprisonment for a term of one year or both.

A Customs officer or other person who aids, counsels, procures or conspires with another person to commit an offence under this section is liable on conviction to the penalty under subsection (2); and the Federal High Court has jurisdiction over any offence committed under this bill.

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) presented the lead debate on the bill for concurrence.

Bamidele said the bill aimed to prohibit the exportation of maize.

He said the bills also sought to address the ongoing food crisis in Nigeria.

The Senate Leader said the bill was straightforward and had gone through the necessary legislative process in the House of Representatives.

He, therefore, urged his colleagues to support the bill.

The senator representing Kebbi South Senatorial District, Garba Maidoki, however, proposed an amendment to remove derivatives from the provision of the bill.

He said, “We must be fair to our people. We are the farmers, we grow these things.”

Aminu Abbas (PDP, Adamawa Central) seconded the amendment.

Some maize derivatives include corn flour,  cornmeal, corn gluten, cornflakes, cornstarch and many others.

The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, approved the amendment to the provision to accommodate only the exportation of maize.

Jibrin said the provision would create more jobs in the country.

He said, “The derivatives are the products of the value chain because you create jobs by allowing that to occur.”

With the passage of the bill erasing derivatives from its provisions, the two chambers of the National Assembly will have to organise a conference committee to harmonise and resolve whether to delete the derivation from the provision or not before transmitting it to the president for assent.

The Deputy Senate President also said the differences on the bill would be resolved at the conference committee.