Naira devaluation Fuelling Food Export Other West African Countries – NGF
The Nigeria Governors Forum has said governors are implementing diverse strategies and measures aimed at resolving the ongoing economic challenges and food crises in their respective domains.
The NGF also said the devaluation of the naira was fuelling food export to West African countries.
The NGF, in a statement released by its Acting Head of Media, Halimah Salihu Ahmed, on Sunday, stated these while highlighting efforts by the governors to alleviate the pain and suffering of citizens nationwide.
Nigerians are currently grappling with economic hardship resulting from skyrocketing prices of basic household commodities.
In a bid to alleviate the hardship, in February, President Bola Tinubu held a meeting with state governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. During the meeting, the governors were urged to focus their efforts on resolving the economic and food crisis.
According to the NGF report, Kwara State Governor and NGF Chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, along with Governors Agbu Kefas of Taraba State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, and Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State, are advocating enhanced crop production through collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to tackle food shortages.
Abdulrazaq, in the statement, explained that the Anchor Borrowers Programme that was previously implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria did not achieve much.
He said, “We could not achieve much with the CBN Anchor Borrowers programme; 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.
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It stated “The minister has come up with a programme on cassava, rice, and maize and we want to engage in that programme and urgently make sure we improve on our yield and deliver to the Nigerian population.
“We want to get to a stage where we export our food. What we have now is that, because of the devaluation of our naira, Nigeria’s food is being exported to West Africa and is the cheapest in the region today.
“The governors have realised that we have a new Ministry of Agriculture, because over the last four years, before this administration, the engagement was not too productive.”
According to the statement, there are plans in Akwa Ibom for a state agency to procure and sell food items at lower prices.
Similarly, in Kano and Yobe authorities cracked down on food hoarding, banning bulk purchases and exports.
According to the report, Governors Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State and Peter Mbah of Enugu State are working to eliminate hunger and poverty by investing in agriculture and rural economic development.
“In the same vein, 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 Nigeria’s borders, saying it was to stem the tide of food scarcity and high cost of grains.
“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 would eradicate hunger and poverty in the state and unlock the rural economy through investment in agriculture and agro-industrialisation.
“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.”
