Worry As Nigerians Patronise Indian-Packaged Garri

Nigerians’ desire for foreign made products may have encouraged the importation of an Indian-packaged Garri which now competes with locally produced Garri in the market.

The product, manufactured by ‘TRS- Asia’s Finest Foods’, currently retails at N450 in Nigerian supermarkets.

With the country’s current status as the world’s largest producer of cassava, an expert in the agri-business development value chain, Sola Adeniyi, has described the situation as an “absurdity of monumental proportion and a shame.”

Adeniyi, who is equally the Executive Director, Natural Nutrient Limited, expressed shock via a Whatsapp broadcast message titled “Attention: Indian Garri Being Sold In Nigerian Supermarkets.”

He said, “Our government and regulatory agencies (if they still exist) should cover their faces in shame.

“I would like to ask: how much were you paid in bribe? Is this how far we are mentally bankrupt?

“We are indeed in a big mess in this nation. Can you imagine imported garri from India now selling in shops in Nigeria and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control approved this?

“So, we finally have consigned our dear country to a dumping ground for all forms of Asian mindless madness.

“Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of cassava for crying out loud, but here we are shamelessly displaying Indian-made garri and not corn flakes on our shelves.”

Reacting to the broadcast which quickly generated reactions, the Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni and her team allegedly raided the supermarket along Cameron Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, where the product was spotted, seizing 26 packs.

“The product has no NAFDAC number. It is said to be from Ghana but packaged in the United Kingdom. The management of the supermarket has been invited for further discussion in our Lagos office and investigation continues,” Oni said.