The restriction placed on importation of some goods by the Federal Government has received a rare endorsement of a Belgian entrepreneur, Mr. Pierre Vandebeeck who told THISDAY that observing the no trade restriction clause in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) treaty is akin to self-ruination.

"Anybody who listens to WTO is an idiot. You open your country for dumping, it is like having a set of local footballers who lack experience and you send them to Liverpool for a match and you expect them to win," Vandebeeck yesterday illustrated in an exclusive interview with THISDAY.

The Federal Government had twice last year placed a ban on the importation of a wide range of imported goods as part of efforts to protect local manufacturers.

The Nigerian production sector had suffered noticeably from lack of protection against dumping of foods from industralised nations, especially during the first tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The era witnessed continuous downward capacity utilisation in many manufacturing companies and outright closure of factories, especially, in the textile sub-sector, which led to massive loss of jobs.

But Mr. Vandebeeck who has been a forerunner in the palm oil production since he arrived Nigeria in 1974 has assured that things are already "shaping up."

"To be frank, this government has done better than past governments in this regard. And it has been able to change the course of things. The government has done much to protect local producers," he reiterated.

Vandebeeck, who is the Managing Director of Presco Plc, a foremost producer of palm oil and allied products based in Benin, Edo State, opined that WTO is a policy from the rich countries. He wonder what prospect lies in implementing WTO rules by a developing economy like Nigeria when developed economies are enjoying the protection of their various governments. "When the United States subsidise agriculture to the tune of one billion dollars everybody, then you cannot compete with them. The only way is for you to place a ban on some of these goods or you remain a very poor country," he said.

Mr. Vandebeeck who has just bagged a national award from the Belgian government lamented at the non availability of quality planting materials and inadequate research. He claimed that the National Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) still uses old equipment for its research.

"Successive government never gave agriculture priority. Crude oil has taken over. NIFOR is still using the old equipment for its research purposes. Government has not been able to assist them," he revealed.