Tackle food crisis, Senate tells Tinubu

The Senate has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the growing food insecurity in Nigeria. This plea came following a motion by Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West) and co-sponsored by Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) during Tuesday’s plenary session.

The motion, titled “Urgent Need to Address Food Insecurity and Market Exploitation of Consumables In Nigeria,” highlighted the sharp rise in the prices of goods and household items over the past few months. This increase has led to high inflation, weakened purchasing power, and worsened living conditions for the majority of Nigerians.

Karimi pointed out that recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that food inflation had surged to 40.66% year-on-year, up from 24.82% in May 2023. He noted that the prices of essential food items like beans, maize, rice paddy, yam, tomatoes, and onions, which initially rose by about 40% following the removal of the petroleum subsidy, have now increased by over 100% to 300%.

Karimi identified several factors contributing to the rising prices, including insecurity in food-producing regions, poor road conditions, increased transportation costs due to the removal of the fuel subsidy, and the depreciation of the naira. However, he stressed that the percentage increase in these costs does not match the significant hike in food prices across the country.

Karimi lamented the prevalent “Get Rich Quickly” mindset, where many Nigerians exploit one another for abnormal profits. He attributed this to the example set by political elites and technocrats who have misused public funds without facing legal consequences. This attitude has led traders to engage in price gouging to maximize profits.

Additionally, Karimi noted reports that farming communities near border regions prefer selling their produce abroad rather than within Nigeria, exacerbating local food insecurity.

Anaedoonline