The Nigeria Governors Forum NGF and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security FMA&FS are advocating for enhanced crop production to tackle food scarcity across the country.
The Acting Head of Media, Halimah Salihu Ahmed, on Sunday, stated that the governors were dedicated to alleviating the pain and suffering of citizens nationwide, due to economic difficulties. Recall that President Bola Tinubu last month mandated Governors to find a long-lasting solution to food scarcity in the country.
The NGF said measures were implemented to curb the smuggling and hoarding of food supplies in the country. Reviewing progress the NGF said, that in Kano State, authorities raided warehouses where traders are suspected of hoarding food supplies, In Yobe State government banned bulk purchases of grain from local markets to stop hoarding and exports across Nigerias borders saying it was to stem the tide of food scarcity and high cost of grains.
Also, In Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago announced a ban on the mass purchase of foodstuffs from local markets. He ordered security forces to confiscate trucks carrying products in bulk and share the food with the people.
In Enugu State, Governor Peter Mbah said his administration will eradicate hunger and poverty in the state and unlock the rural economy through investment in agriculture and agro-industrialisation.
Subsequently In Zamfara state, last week, Governor Dauda Lawal hosted the Sweden Ambassador, Annika Hahn-Englund, in partnership on how to grow the state economy and address the current hardships.
The report said that Governor Abdulrazaq explained that the Anchor Borrowers Programme that was previously implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria did not achieve much.
According to the report, the NGF chairman said, We could not achieve much with the CBN Anchor Borrowers program; it was very challenging. The issue of food security is a one-stop-shop, and we need to concentrate on what we are doing. We need to concentrate on what we are doing for the dry season farming.
The Governors forum added that the Agric minister has come up with a program on cassava, rice, and maize and the federal government will engage in the program and urgently make sure to improve yield and deliver to the Nigerian population.
We want to get to a stage where we export our food. because of the devaluation of our naira, Nigerias food is being exported to West Africa and is the cheapest in the region today, and the governors have realised that we have a new Ministry of Agriculture, and we can achieve this, NGF noted.
