Hardship: Tinubu orders immediate release of 102 metric tons of food items … warns hoarders … plans to import food … plans for farming season

Hardship: Tinubu orders immediate release of 102 metric tons of food items … warns hoarders … plans to import food … plans for farming season

To cushion the effects of hardship caused by the economic policies introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to turn around the kwashiorkor-stricken Nigerian’s economy, the President has directed the immediate release of over 100 metric tons of assorted food items from the strategic reserve and the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria as a short-term response to the rising food shortage and hunger in the country.

Recall that there have been protests going on in some states of the federation over the rising cost of living and shortage of food items in the last few days.

To prevent what it may likely resort to, the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila; the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and some key ministers held an emergency meeting last week and they promised that the meeting would be a continuous thing to address the hardship.

However, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, told journalists at the State House after a meeting of the Special Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Intervention on Thursday that the President gave the directive.

Idris also informed that the government has proposed to embark on import of whatever shortfalls may be experienced after the release of the food commodities.

The Minister said the government will mete out appropriate measures on food hoarders, adding that emergencies require emergency measures to ensure food is available to Nigerians.

The minister warned that those hoarding food items will face the wrath of the law.

He stated further, “Emergencies require measures to ensure food is available to Nigerians. The government plans to clamp down on those deliberately hoarding foodstuffs with the intent of creating artificial scarcity so that they can sell at higher prices. Nobody would be allowed to hold the country to ransom.

“The government has come up with some measures to ensure that food becomes more readily available to Nigerians. ⁣

“The first one is that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has been directed to release immediately about 42,000 metric tons of maize, millet, ‘garri’ and other commodities in their strategic reserve so that these items will be made available to Nigerians.

“The second one is that we have held meetings with the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria – those responsible for producing this rice and we have asked them to open up their stores.

“They’ve told us that they can guarantee about 60,000 metric tons of rice.

“This will be made available and we know that is enough to sustain Nigerians for the next one month to six weeks, perhaps up to two months.

“They’ve agreed that they will make that available to Nigerians.⁣

“The whole idea of this is to crash the cost of these food items and these are measures that would happen immediately.⁣

“The government is also looking at the possibility – if it becomes necessary as an interim measure in the short run – of importing some of these commodities immediately so they can be made available to Nigerians within the next couple of weeks.”

On the long-term measures, the minister said that the President directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to work with farmers and invest heavily in the production of various food crops in the upcoming farming season.⁣

He said: “As soon as the dry season farming gets underway, the government hopes that food prices will drop. ⁣

“Now, the government of course is also looking at all those who are hoarding these commodities because actually, they are available in the stores of many traders.

“The government is appealing to them to make these commodities available in the interest of our nation.

“Don’t lock up the products to make more money and then Nigerians suffer. ⁣

“Of course, the government will not fold its arms. We know where all these major traders are. We know where all these major stores are.

“If they don’t respond by bringing these commodities to the market, the government will take appropriate measures to ensure that these products are made available to Nigerians.”

Asked if the committee discussed the prices at which the items will be sold, Idris said: “Yes. The President has directed that whatever it will take, food will be available to Nigerians at a cost that is also very reasonable.”