Polycarp Sola-Abakaliki
The Chairman of Abakaliki rice mill company, Comrade Obeji Linus on has unveiled a 100 cups bushel measurement system as well as 50 cups half a bushel to ensure customer protection against the activities of some fraudulent individuals at the mill company.
Mr Obeji equally declared as illegal, the use of scale for measurement at the mill company and warned that henceforth, anyone caught using the scale for selling rice to its customers would be arrested and prosecuted in line with the executive order of the Ebonyi State government.
He said that the reintroduction of the bushel measurement is to sanitize the Abakaliki rice mill company and restore its originality based on honesty and transparency devoid of scale and its adjustments which are used to defraud customers by some individuals.
“Today’s development is courtesy of His Excellency, Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s executive order that demands an absolute sanitizing of the Abakaliki rice mill.
“The purpose is to sanitize the rice mill and give it its original value because Abakaliki rice mill is known for honesty, and transparency in business and the scale measurements have tampered with it, this measurement can not be adjusted.
“Before that time, we have already solicited the governor’s permission to go ahead and produce a bushel in place of scale due to the adjustment by some people here and he graciously approved“. Obeji said.
According to him, the 100 cups of a bushel and 50 cups half of a bushel respectively would imply that customers would not be shortchanged off their rice purchased by fraudulent sellers who deliberately adjust the scale for their selfish reasons.
“We don’t use scale henceforth, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on rice mill has already given directives to the rice mill owners to desist from using it, it’s an executive order from the State government and should be adhered to.
He further called on customers to continue patronizing the company because of the return to its originality which is based on the bushel system, saying that anything outside that is not from the Abakaliki rice mill company.
Speaking to newsmen, the senior special assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on rice mill, comrade Abel Uzodimma said the bushel measurement system would enhance the sincerity of the state government in ensuring that people are served accordingly and warned against defaulting.
Lending his voice, His Royal Highness, Eze Sunday Oketa of the Ugwuachara autonomous community commended Governor Nwifuru for ensuring that there is peace and ease of doing business in the State as well as urged the rice mill owners to support his administration.