Tinubu Orders Crash In Cost Of Food Items

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered government officials to ensure that food prices are crashed immediately, by removing all bottlenecks that hinders transportation of food items across the country, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports.

Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of state for Agriculture disclosed on Wednesday in Abuja, the nation’s capital that the president is worried by the high cost of food in the country, and has identified the role of free passage of food items across the country in achieving this objective.

The minister said the president is fully committed  to ensuring  that the high costs of transporting farm produce are significantly reduced, so that food prices can come down.

Abdullahi: “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.”

Mr 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 the 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.

“The principle of cooperation is clear, democratic, yet it is also very productive. 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,