By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has said there would be no need to import food items into the country amid soaring food costs.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris, made the disclosure shortly after a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the state governors, on Thursday.
The Information Minister said the government had ordered a clampdown on food hoarders, noting that security agencies will collaborate with state governments to arrest the hoarders and make food commodities available to Nigerians at the appropriate price.
“The governors and Mr President have decided that security agencies will collaborate with the state governors to ensure this ends.
“Number two, a decision has also been taken, that in the interest of our country, there will be no need for food importation at this point.
“Nigeria has the potential to feed itself and even be a net exporter of food items to other countries. What we’re seeing now is just a temporary difficulty that will soon be over,” Mr Idris said.
The Minister said that numerous interventions taken by the President to ensure food security would soon start to yield fruits.
Mr Idris said that President Tinubu had declared a state of emergency on agriculture many months ago and that the federal and state governments have made massive investments in crop production and livestock development and management.
Nigeria’s inflation increased to 29.90 per cent in January 2024 from 28.92 per cent recorded in December 2023 amid rising food prices.
The report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said the food inflation in January 2024 increased to 35.41 per cent on a year-on-year basis, which was 11.10 per cent higher compared to the rate recorded in January 2023 at 24.32 per cent.
“The rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis is caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, oil and fat, potatoes, yam and other tubers, fish, meat, fruit, coffee, tea, and cocoa,” a part of the report stated.
Modupe Gbadeyanka