Senate to establish tea, coffee council

The Senate yesterday moved forward in its bid to establish the National Tea and Coffee Development Council in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to diversify the economy.

The Bill sponsored by Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf (APC, Taraba) scaled through second reading at plenary session yesterday.

Leading debate, Yusuf said the council when established would assist in boosting tea and coffee production in the country. 

He said the council would also assist in developing other sectors of the economy such as, tourism and wild life in line with the agenda of the present administration.

Supporting the bill, deputy minority leader, Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP, Taraba) described the bill as an all important one as it will help in changing the country’s crude oil dependent economy.

Saraki referred the bill to the Senate committee on Agriculture and Rural Development with a 4-week timeframe.