In the heat of scarcity and spiralling food inflation, Nigeria has ruled out importation of food as President Bola Tinubu reports that the administration was evolving home-grown solutions to address the nation’s food security challenges.
At the meeting with the country’s 36 governors in Abuja on Thursday, President Tinubu said that Nigeria would not import food as it was capable of feeding itself.
The government, he said, was evolving the strategies to support local production and discourage all forms of rent-seeking that are associated with food importation.
The meeting was attended by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the DSS, and some ministers.
On security, President Tinubu approved the establishment of a committee comprising state governors and representatives of the federal government to, among other things, explore the modalities for establishing state police.
The President further endorsed the training and equipping of forest rangers by sub-national governments to safeguard human and natural resources in local communities.
”My position at this meeting is that we must move aggressively and establish a committee to look critically at the issues raised, including the possibility of establishing state police.
”From Kano, we have read reports about large-scale hoarding of food in some warehouses. The National Security Adviser (NSA), the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services should coordinate very closely and ensure that security agencies in the states inspect such warehouses with follow up action.
”We must ensure that speculators, hoarders, and rent seekers are not allowed to sabotage our efforts in ensuring the wide availability of food to all Nigerians.
”What I will not do is to set a price control board. I will not also approve the importation of food.
“We should be able to get ourselves out of the situation we found ourselves in, because importation will allow rent seekers to perpetrate fraud and mismanagement at our collective expense.
“We would rather support farmers with the schemes that will make them go to the farm and grow more food for everyone in the country.
”We must also look at the rapid but thoughtful implementation of our livestock development and management plans, including dairy farming and others,” the President stated.
President Tinubu urged the governors to trust the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with the management of the country’s monetary policy, emphasizing the importance of allowing designated institutions to fulfil their mandate effectively.
He said the ”cacophony of postulations” on the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates was unduly affecting the market negatively.
”Every one of us can not be an expert. If we have given someone an assignment, let us allow them to do it. If they can not do it, then we find a way to quickly get them out of the system,” the President affirmed.
President Tinubu asked the governors to always make the welfare and prosperity of the people a priority of their development programmes, assuring them that the federal government will continue to work diligently to improve the nation’s revenue profile.
At the meeting, the President and the governors emphasized the importance of working together to address issues of insecurity, food security, and out-of-school children.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for convening the meeting and affirmed the governors’ commitment to partnering closely with the federal government.
The government had in June 2023 given a renamed Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, following the appointment of a new minister, Abubakar Kyari.
Prior to the development, President Tinubu revealed an immediate, medium and long-term plan to fix the country’s food crisis after declaring a state of emergency on food security.
To drive food security plan and lead the charge of revamping the agricultural sector in Africa’s biggest economy in the next four years is Abubakar Kyari, who has been appointed as the country’s new minister of Agriculture and Food Security.
Recognising the urgent need to secure the nation’s food supply, his administration has undertaken several strategic initiatives that have captured the attention of Nigerians and the international community alike.
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) expressed the hope over the new Ministers would spur the development of agriculture and ensure food security.
