By ERICJAMES OCHIGBO

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) has urged the National Assembly to conduct a public hearing on the proposed 2.5 billion dollars investment to establish six industrial meat-processing facilities in the county by JBS, a global meat-processing company.

The coalition made the call at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday in Abuja, also tasked connected State Houses of Assembly on the inquiry.

It could be recalled that Brazilian meatpacker JBS signed a 2.5 billion dollars Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigeria in November 2024 to build six new processing plants over five years.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Executive Director, Youth Agroccology and Restoration

Network (YARN), Mr Opeyemi Elujulo said that the call became necessary after all effort to access the MoU via Freedom of Information Act failed.

According to him, it is a matter of public interest to publicly x-ray the terms and conditions of operations of the proposed investment.

He said that there is need to conduct environmental impact assessment as well as, examine the impact on small holder farmers, local livelihoods and food sovereignty.

Elujulo said that voices of communities where the facilities will be established needed to be heard, their interest protected and be given equal rights to give or decline consent.

“Transparency and public accountability are essential before land is allocated, public resources committed or large-scale livestock production systems are established.

“The National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly, exercise oversight, let the relevant committees of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly hold public hearings on the JBS–Nigeria MoU.

“The legislature should x-ray the implementation of the project, demand disclosure of all related agreements and assessments and give host communities a platform to be heard.

“The National Assembly should ensure that farmers, pastoralists and host communities should have a meaningful voice in decisions that could affect their land, livelihoods, water resources and food systems.

“We must ensure that legislation and regulation affecting civil society organisations, safeguard the legitimate right of citizens and organisations to seek information, conduct research and advocate on matters of public interest,” he said.

Elujulo charged the National Assembly to provide platforms for national and sub-national consultations on the future direction of Nigeria’s food system.

He also called for enforceable safeguards to protect smallholder farmers and pastoralists, waterways and groundwater, animal welfare and the interests of host communities.

Elujulo said that the coalition is not against investment but it stood to protect local environment and livelihoods as it priotises humanity over profit.

He urged the government to ensure that relevant ministries and agencies, including those responsible for environment, agriculture, water, land, justice, finance and labour, were involved in decisions concerning the investment. (NAN)