Governors are tackling food crisis, economic hardship with different measures- NGF

Innocent Raphael

The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) has disclosed that Governors of the 36 states of the federation have been introducing different strategies and measures to tackle current economic hardship and food crisis in their respective states.

In a report signed by its Acting Head of Media, Halimah Salihu Ahmed, the NGF said the governors were committed to ending the pain and suffering of citizens in the land.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu had met with the state governors at the Council Chambers of the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, in February, where issues of hike in food prices and economic hardship were discussed with a view to proffering solutions.

The NGF report disclosed that Kwara State governor and chairman of the NGF, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in collaboration with Governors Agbu Kefas of Taraba State; Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State; and Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State were pushing for increased crop production through the federal Ministry of agriculture to address food shortages.

It further revealed that authorities had raided warehouses where traders are suspected of hoarding food supplies in Kano State as well as the government of Yobe State placing a ban on bulk purchases of grains from local markets to stop hoarding and exports out of Nigeria.

The report also read: “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 to the people.

“The Ekiti State Government has committed the sum of N1 billion to improve food production, especially to embark on land preparation, driven by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s tractorization subsidy scheme, and an input supply programme to support small scale farmers.

“In Zamfara State, last week, Governor Dauda Lawal hosted the Sweden Ambassador, Annika Hahn-Englund, on partnership on how to grow the state economy and address the current hardships. The Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, expressed his government’s willingness to expand its relationship with the Netherlands in different sectors, especially the agricultural sector to ensure food security in the state.”