The federal government has unveiled the National Fertilizer Quality Control Act to regulate the production of fertilizers in Nigeria that provides a five-year jail term for offenders of the Act.
According to the Act, fertilizer producers that operate without permit or certificate of registration will pay a fine of N5 million.
This was disclosed on Tuesday during the public presentation and unveiling of the Act in Abuja, by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono.
Unveiling the Fertilizer Act, the minister said the Act will regulate the manufacture, importation and sales/distribution as well as quality control of fertilizers in Nigeria.
Section 18 of the Act states that ‘’a person who manufactures, blends, imports or distributes fertilizer that is deficient in plant nutrient, unbranded, adulterated and underweight is liable on conviction, to a term of imprisonment of at least five years without option of fine.’’
Nanono said the Act would provide the enabling environment for fertilizer enterprises to grow, protect farmers against access to nutrient-deficient and adulterated fertilizers as well as short-weight bags of fertilizers.
‘’The purpose is also to protect our natural environment from harmful elements in fertilizers such as heavy metals which can be harmful to both soils and the humans,” he added.
In order to ensure compliance with the law, the minister highlighted that the ministry will not condole any obstruction, hindrance or prevention of a duly authorized officer of the prescribed authority from carrying out his/her duties and responsibilities assigned to him/her under the Act or regulations made pursuant to the Act.
Nanono also noted that the ministry has deployed and re-trained more fertilizer quality control inspectors to add to the already trained 150 officers to ensure proper monitoring and enforcement of the Act.
He appreciated the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and other stakeholders for the support and roles they played toward ensuring the actualization of the law.
The minister challenged fertilizer industry players to put in place proper mechanism for self-regulation, adding that the implementing regulations will soon be ready for ease of administration of the Act.
