Poisonous Rice: Ebonyi Reopens Abakaliki Mill
By Joyce Onuora Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State government has ordered the re-opening of the
Abakaliki Rice Mill two days after it was sealed following alleged discoveries of
Poisonous bags of rice in the mill with the label ‘not
fit for human consumption’.
Dr Kenneth Ugbala, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Internal Security
and who also Leader of the inter-ministerial committee set up by the
government to investigate the matter, told newsmen at a news
conference in Abakaliki that the mill will be re-open immediately.
Ugbala, said that the mill was reopened because it had been sanitised,
the poisonous products confiscated and culpable shops sealed.
“The committee alongside experts and security agencies evacuated the
adulterated products from the affected shops and generally sanitised
the mill with security agencies making some arrests.
“The state governor reopened the mill to save innocent millers and
buyers from untold economic losses and also due to the mill’s
importance to the state’s economic survival.
“Ebonyi citizens and buyers from across the country are hereby assured
that the suspected products have been identified and evacuated, so
they could freely process and purchase rice from the mill,” he said.
He Further maintained that the shops where the poisonous products were
confiscated would remain shut till all investigations are concluded.
“Citizens who purchased rice from the mill within the period under
scrutiny should present such products to the concerned ministries of
health, agriculture, environment among others, for thorough screening.
Chief Donatus Njoku, the State Commissioner for Environment, disclosed
that a total of 317 bags were confiscated from 10 shops at the mill
during the committee’s screening exercise.
“Two shops identified to be using substandard weight measurements were
also sealed alongside those where the poisonous products were found
until all investigations are concluded.
Prof. Fidelis Okpata, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, assured
the public that anybody found culpable in the matter would be punished
no matter how highly placed because government will not mortgage the
lives of its citizens for the unwholesome commercial dealings of few
individuals or groups,” he said.
