By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA- THE National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria, NPPAN, weekend, inaugurated Board of Trustees BoT, to add value to smallholder farmers, processors and marketers of oil palm in the country.

This was contained in a statement signed by the National President, NPPAN, Amb Alphonsus Inyang, during the association’s National Executive Council’s meeting held in Akure, Ondo State with  members  from the 36 States that commenced on 22 nd– 24th of June, 2021.

 According to the statement pertinent issues affecting the association beamed its searchlight on challenges facing the association and industry.

The association also made salient demands that would galvanize the industry, which they discussed extensively and assessed several issues affecting the industry, therefore called on Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Federal and State Governments to address them urgently in order to restore the lost glory of the country in the production of the commodity.

The Board of Trustee Members inaugurated include Chief Ikenna Wachuckwu and High Chief Fred Adejo, others are Mr. Kayode Babatola; P.R.O – Mrs. Bernadette John Ekanem; The Vice President South South – Hon. Harrison Okpamen; The National Women Coordinator – Dr. Lynda Obiageri Onubogwu; National Organizing Welfare Secretary – Hon. Steve Egben; The Treasurer – Mr. Adebayo Bobade; and Ondo State Chairman of NPPAN – Mr. Bolarinwa Adetula (FCA).

Meanwhile, the National President, NPPAN, Ambassador Alphonsus Inyang, called on the National Assembly to as matter of urgency enact a law establishing the National Oil Palm Development Council, NOPDC, to regulate, incentivize investment, fund and provide level paying field for the industry.

Iyang also called on the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to set aside a minimum of N200 billion for the funding of smallholder Oil Palm farmers under the Oil Palm Development Initiative, OPDI, of the CBN.

Others request include; Governments of the 24 States with comparative advantage in Oil Palm Production to emulate the Government Of Ondo State under the able leadership of His Excellency, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu (SAN) who has allocated and gazette 10,000 hectares of arable land for the development of Oil Palm in Ondo State under the Red Gold Initiative Project.

“Demands the release of 25% of all import duties charged from the importation of Oil Palm products to the association for backward integration and opening of new Oil Palm plantations in the country.

“Demand for adequate funding of Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) for increased research and production of hybrid seedlings.

“Request the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to persuade the Bankers Committee to accept Oil Palm plantations which is a producing asset as collateral and be included in the National Collateral Register (NCR).

“Request the Federal and State Governments to partner with the association to produce and distribute 10 million hybrid Oil Palm seedlings to small holder farmers yearly.

“Demands support from both the Federal and State Governments to the novel program of the association to empower every family to plant 20 Oil Palm trees between 2021- 2026; code named ‘1 Family 20 trees’.

“We’ve also requested the Federal Ministry of Environment to partner with the association in the depopulation of non-economic trees around our environments and replacement with the ‘‘Tree of Life”- Oil Palm Tree.

According to the statement, presentations were received during the meeting from Sunclave Investment Limited- A Fertilizer Blending Company; Partnership Initiative in Niger Delta (PIND); Ghana Sumatra – Producers of Hybrid Planting Materials; Providus Bank; and  South East Farms & Agro Company Limited and many other Stake holders.