The Minister of Trade, Industries and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo has reversed the earlier directive prohibiting the importation of sugar from free trade zones.
He sent a letter to the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed prohibiting the importation of sugar from free trade zones, in Nigeria, due to the controversial petition written to him by the Chairman Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote and Chairman, Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC, Mr John Coumatros which he copied the Managing Director Nigeria Ports Authority, Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service as well as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
It was alleged that this move was targeted at BUA sugar refinery and investments.
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BUA Group Chairman, Samad Rabiu had reacted to the petition by revealing that his investments in sugar, especially the Port Harcourt project did not pose any threat to the country’s sugar policy. According to Samad Rabiu, his was project indeed, meant to checkmate arbitrary increase in prices and which will ultimately benefit the ordinary Nigerian on the street.
Some agencies of the Federal Government already acted on the earlier Minister’s directive by directing all Terminal operators to ensure strict compliance with the Minister’s order, despite a court injunction refraining not only the Ministry but all government agencies from disturbing BUA operations pending the determination of the suit filed by the company.
