The Management of Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals, IEFCL, has denied allegations that the company and another fertilizer firm are sabotaging the economy and security of the nation through their export of fertilizers at the detriment of farmers in Nigeria.
In a statement issued signed by Jossy Nkwocha, the company’s head of Corporate Communications, all domestic supplies to customers so far are in accordance with the approval of the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Farm Input and Supply Services department in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
“Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Limited (IEPL) and its sister companies in Nigeria are NOT, and HAVE NOT, and would NEVER be directly or indirectly involved in any activities to undermine or sabotage the economy or security of the nation,” the statement read.
The Management noted that the its plant started pre-commissioning production just recently at only 75% capacity, and in the past one month has been giving priority to the domestic market.
“Our brand-new fertilizer plant has capacity for 1.5 metric tons of fertilizers per annum which is designed to serve Nigeria’s entire domestic requirement and the surplus is for export markets.”
“However, our primary focus is to serve the interest of our domestic market and this we have been doing with great sense of responsibility and commitment to the Nigerian economy” the company stated.
Nkwocha said the company was proud that its production surplus would be for export in order to generate foreign exchange for the Country at this time of huge deficit of forex.
She added that exporting fertilizer would put Nigeria among the league of producers and exporters of petrochemicals and fertilizers, thereby encouraging more foreign investors to come and invest in the countrya”
“Indorama-Nigeria is 100 percent committed to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy; and has in the past ten years demonstrated such TOTAL commitment and loyalty by providing more than 85% domestic needs of polymers which were hitherto imported into the country at huge foreign exchange cost,” Nkwocha said.
The fertilizer firm expressed disappointment over the publications which, according to him, gave misleading impression that the two fertilizer companies were sabotaging national security by distributing fertilizers within the country, which were being used by some undesirable elements to make explosives.
“The publications further mentioned an unnamed organisation involved in commercial explosives and accessories whose activities were sabotaging national security”.
“This mix-up has caused great embarrassment and distress to our company, which over the past ten years has the unblemished reputation of adding great value to the Nigerian economy and society,” it said.
The Management of Indorama Fertilizer restated its total commitment to the economy and security of the country, especially in ensuring that farmers across the country have unhindered access to its high quality fertilizers.
It also expressed readiness to collaborate with the office of the NSA and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to ensure that all
identified concerns about availability of Indorama fertilizers by farmers and dealers are addressed as quickly as possible.
Recall that the National Security Adviser, NSA, Babagana Monguno, had on Thursday, threatened that government would withdraw the licences of fertilizer plants for allegedly involving in illegal exports that had resulted in the scarcity of the product.
He also accused the companies of complicity in the renewed attacks on Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta.
According to Monguno, discoveries showed that Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, used by terrorists were developed mainly from certain grades of fertilizer which contained nitrate using Urea Nitrate.
Notore Petrochemical and Indorama Eleme Petrochemical are the only companies licensed to manufacture fertilizer in the country following a recent ban on importation.