Senator To FG: Give Nigerians 100k Food Voucher Monthly To Combat Hunger

Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has knocked the  Federal government poverty palliatives saying they have failed to achieve desired results.

The senator representing Ondo in the Nigerian Senate said the palliative programmes meant to reduce hunger in the country have not trickled down to those who need them, because they have been hijacked by the state governors.

The Cable reports that the  business man turned politician spoke in Washington DC at the week end, urging the federal government to start printing food vouchers throuth thr Central Bank of Nigeria, instead of the current palliative policies, which he argued have not benefitted Nigerians.

According to the senators, the CBN should start printing N100,000 vouchers for vulnerable  Nigerians to buy food, rather than giving them money, which he said will lead inflation in thr country.

He said all the palliative programmes should be harmonise under this policy for for effective results, noting that this will curb corruption among the political class, thereby enabling those who really needed the palliatives to get them.

Senator Ibrahim: “This is a harmonious policy, and when it’s done, it will help the government to have a direct impact on those who are affected by poverty and food insecurity. So, vouchers for food is very significant.

“Imagine you give N100,000 per month to anybody above 18 years that is really affected by food insecurity and poverty, you see every month they draw down on this in the first one year. It makes more sense than some palliatives that have to do with solar power and things like that.

“It’s very important because when you don’t solve the problem of food and hunger, then you are looking for crisis. This is why we are saying that the economic policy of the central bank and the ministry of finance should be harmonised, and then we can have a clear account to print vouchers for food.”

The magazine reported that the federal and state government have been trenchantly criticised for embarking on various palliative programmes to assist Nigeria’s to survive the current hunger in the country.

Critics of the administration insist that the palliatives which run into several billions, in form of food and cash have  been turned into cash cow by government officials and their cronies.