According to The Bureau Newspaper’s checks, there are compelling indicators that ships carrying maize are progressively making their way to the country’s seaports.
It was learned that ships carrying the commodities had berthed at West Africa Container Terminals (WACT), Onne Port, Rivers State, and ENL terminals, Lagos Port Complex (LPC).
There is clear evidence of a drop in prices in the local markets, with two port terminals currently discharging a combined 75,000 tonnes of grain.
Sources informed our correspondent that in addition to the ships that are currently unloading maize in Lagos and Rivers Ports, respectively, ships carrying brown rice will shortly dock at the country’s seaports.
Industry observers noted that the government’s permission of such items to flood Nigerian markets in an attempt to drive down the high price of maize must have been motivated by the country’s food shortages and hardships, according to a recent rumour regarding the importation of maize through the country’s seaports.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) reported that ships scheduled to dock at the Lagos Pilotage District verified that the MV Cape brought a total of 28,842.130 MT of maize to ENL.
Chief Executive Officer of Micura Services Limited, Chief Michael Orobosa Ubogu, confirmed the development to our correspondent on Wednesday in Lagos, noting that it will result in more jobs for Nigerians.
“We heard about maize importation as a rumour but it is a confirmation that the commodities are currently being discharged at the ports,” Ubogu, who confirmed the massive importation of maize into the country’s seaports, repeated.
“As we speak, ENL is very busy discharging maize because I’m part of the process,” the speaker said.
[/b]The specialist in stevedoring continued, saying: [b]“We also heard a rumour that brown rice imports will soon arrive at the ports, but since corn importation is now a reality, there is no doubt that the rice vessels will arrive soon,” Ubogu forecast.
In a similar vein, a variety of traders who discussed the situation voiced their concerns by urging the government to abolish the import prohibition on rice in an effort to lower the present market price.
Under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, the federal government banned 42 products, rice being the most prohibited.