Dangote, Bua failed to hit target - By Omunizua Goodness

        Executive Secretary of National Sugar Development Council, NSDC, Dr Abdullateef Busari, yesterday, blamed natural challenges faced by  Dangote and Bua sugar refineries for failure to hit the 2017 target set for sufficiency in the production of refined sugar in Nigeria. 

      He said this while responding to queries by House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating low concessionary tariff given by Ministry of Trade and Investment for sugar importation into the country from 2013 to 2016 as contained in the backward integration policy. Also, Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Abiodun Olasupo (APC, Oyo) in his opening remarks said:       
    “Within three years from 2009 and 2011, Nigeria expended N228.8 billion on sugar importation,”a   situation he described as hermorrhage on the country’s foreign exchange earnings and a loss of hundreds and thousands of employment opportunities for skilled and semi skilled labour and food insecurity arising from sugar importation dependence.