By John Oba
Abuja
The Federal Government yesterday hinted on plans to establish a commodity pricing board in 2017.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who dropped the hint at an interaction with journalists in Abuja, said government is planning a public debate to that effect.
While lamenting that the boards which were established few years ago were no longer in operation, noted that the public debate would help tackle gaps experienced in the past.
He said, “Commodity boards were set up before but somehow, they did not work.
The debate now is that, do we go back to the commodity boards or not? But we will arrive at something soon.
“We may have to hold a public hearing on this matter. There are those who said that there were abuses. Some people were of the view that farmers were cheated, while others said the system worked well because they guaranteed quality control, educated farmers on what to do.
“The views are very strong on either side, we intend to hold a public debate quickly, analyse them what we have and see what is best. Give us a little time, maybe, early next year, we will find a solution to that. We have a duty to protect the Nigerian consumers.”