President Tinubu Urged To Declare Emergency On Food Security, Tackle Insecurity

Nigerians have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare an emergency in food security, introduce a national food policy, and tackle insecurity caused by herders, which has forced farmers to abandon farming.

They stated that the distribution of palliatives by the Federal Government is not a solution to the food shortage facing the country.

A political activist, Mr. Blessing Adima, said, “Buying grains and rice for distribution to Nigerians is a misplaced priority… Herdsmen have chased farmers from their farmlands, and we import rice that Benue State alone could have produced for Nigeria.”

A development consultant, Furoebi Akene, stated, “All efforts should be made for farmers to return to their farms… Beyond that, how honest and patriotic are the people entrusted with the distribution of the rice to ensure they get to the targeted beneficiaries?”

The Secretary of the Ndokwa National Youth Movement, Comrade Presley Idi, said, “The pathway to solving the food crisis is to ensure a secured environment for our farmers… Palliatives like distribution of rice and other food items are temporary solutions.”

A legal practitioner, Iniruo Wills, said, “Extravaganza is not governance, and public spectacle is no strategy… Whenever the government decides to start rational governance, food and other crises will start to subside.”

Ex-spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Ebilade Ekerefe, asserted, “Sharing billions of trailer loads of rice and distributing money as palliatives is not the solution to our food security crisis… Instead of distributing food items and money, the federal government should urgently declare an emergency in food security and introduce a holistic national policy.”

A Warri-based educationist, Mrs. Edna Rukevwe, said, “It has become clear that President Tinubu did not prepare for economic reactions to his removal of subsidy on petroleum… Throwing money and food at the problem of hunger is not a solution.”

The Chairman, Board of Trustees, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Chief Israel Amanze, argued that “distribution of palliatives and trucks of food items is only a temporary measure and not a permanent solution to address food insecurity.”

Rights lawyer, Ogunbiyi Olajunwo, said, “The Federal Government doesn’t have its priorities right… They need to open the borders for food to come in, reduce tariffs on essential goods, and tackle insecurity that has not allowed farmers to go to the farms.”

Small-Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON) executive, Mrs. Mary Afan, said, “Women should be encouraged to continue putting food on the table… Smallholder farmers produce vegetables, grains, tubers, and others, but when the government wants to support, you hardly see the smallholder farmers benefit.”

Residents Jamila Benzies-Buyengum and Adamu Musa also emphasized the need for modern farming tools, training for youths, and support for grassroots dwellers to produce food.

In summary, Nigerians are urging the government to address the root causes of food insecurity, such as insecurity, lack of fertilizers, and poor farming practices, rather than just distributing palliatives.”