Dare Babalola
President Bola Tinubu has ordered further price cuts of food items across the country.
According to the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi, Tinubu directed a Federal Executive Council committee to ensure that food items become more affordable for Nigerians.
Abdullahi stated this on Wednesday in Abuja, while presenting a paper at a one-day capacity-building workshop for journalists covering the Senate.
He noted that the directive by Tinubu would be enforced to further crash prices of food items by ensuring the safe passage of products through various routes across the country, emphasising that the committee’s action was aimed at realising Tinubu’s vision on food sovereignty.
The minister stressed that the present administration will address the high prices of transportation of farm produce in the country.
He said, “I can say it on good authority to you that the president has given a matching order with a federal executive council committee already handling it.
“On how we are going to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across our various routes in the country.
“We are aware, and I’m sure as media, you are also aware, there are routes through which commodities are taken before they are delivered.
“If you know the amount of money that is being spent, you can now understand why those commodities have to be expensive at the point of delivery.
“So, we are working very hard, we are doing quite a lot. But I’ve just given you a snippet because I’m here, and I felt we should look at that.”
Abdullahi explained that the vision for food sovereignty was within the ambit of food security and food sufficiency which encompassed availability of food, accessibility as well as affordability, and in right nutritional content on a sustainable basis.
According to him, other programmes such as the ‘Farmer Soil Health Scheme and Cooperative Reform’ were also awaiting implementation.
“We are having what you call the Farmer Soil Health Scheme. And that is ready for launch, we are just waiting for the date.
“Mr President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for resource mobilisation, for economic activity generation and to improve the livelihood of members.
“And you know the principle of cooperative is clear, is democratic, yet it is also very productive. And so we are reforming this.
“There is a number of things we are doing there and I will urge you, as a press corps, to consider forming a cooperative,” he said.
