Feb. 22, 2022

The Senate on Tuesday at plenary passed a bill seeking to establish the National Council for Tea and Coffee Development.

The passage of the bill tagged, “Nigerian Tea and Coffee Development Council (Establishment) Bill, 2022”, followed the adoption of the report of Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

Presenting the report, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu (APC-Nasarawa), the Chairman of the Committee, said the Council would be saddled with responsibilities of developing and promoting the growth, production, processing and marketing of tea and coffee in Nigeria.

According to him, the establishment of the Council will facilitate the generation of foreign exchange for the country, so as to reduce over dependence on the exportation of crude oil as the mainstay of Nigeria’s source of revenue.

He explained that tea and coffee were widely consumed beverages around the world.

Citing a report by Euro Monitor International, Adamu stated that Nigerians drank more than 1000 tones of coffee in 2020.

He added that another report by Fitch Solutions showed that overall consumer coffee spending in Nigeria will hit 286.8 million dollars in 2023, while listing Nigeria as one of the five coffee markets to watch.

Adamu said that the National Council for Tea and Coffee Development would provide the technical, managerial and horticultural extension services as catalyst for tea and coffee growth and development in Nigeria.

The lawmaker said that the passage of the bill by the upper chamber would be a bold-step towards revamping tea and coffee business in Nigerian, while at the same time creating employment for youths.

Meanwhile, two bills to establish the Federal Institute of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies Kotonkarfe, Kogi and the National Innovation Agency have scaled second reading in the Senate.

The bills were sponsored by Sen. Smart Adeyemi (APC-Kogi ) and Sen. Uche Ekwunife (PDP- Anambra ).

The bill to establish the Federal Institute of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies was referred by Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, who presided over plenary, to the Joint Committees on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND; and Agriculture and Rural Development for further work.

Also, the bill seeking to establish the National Innovation Agency was referred to the Committee on Science and Technology after consideration.

The Committees were given four weeks to report back to the Senate in plenary. (NAN)