By Adedapo Adesanya
To address the rising food prices in the country, the federal government has released 102,000 metric tonnes of rice, maize, millet, and garri from the nation’s reserves and stores of rice millers to the Nigerian market.
This came after a three-day meeting of the Special Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Intervention, headed by Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, at State House, Abuja.
It was also agreed that it would henceforth clamp down on hoarders of food items in the country, stressing that it may import commodities as a last resort in efforts to address the current shortages.
After the meeting at State House, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris, said while the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security would make available 42,000 metric tonnes of maize, millet, garri, and other commodities, the rice millers, through their association, would release 62,000 metric tonnes of rice from their reserves.
“The first one is that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has been directed to immediately release about 42,000 metric tons of maize, millet, garri, and other commodities in their strategic reserve so that these items will be made available to Nigerians.
“The second one is that we have held meetings with the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria, those who are responsible for producing this rice, and we have asked them to open up their stores.
“They’ve told us that they can guarantee about 60,000 metric tons of rice. This will be made available and we know that is enough to take Nigerians for the next one month to six weeks, perhaps, up to two months. They’ve agreed that they will make that available to Nigerians to bring it out to the market so that food can be made available.
“Now, the whole idea of this is to crash the cost of these food items. And these are measures that will happen immediately.
“42,000 metric tons from the strategic government reserve, about 60,000 metric tons of rice from the rice millers association, they have them in all their storage facilities and government, in conjunction with them, after this exhaustive meeting, has directed that they also bring this out immediately so that the price of rice will come down significantly.”
FG Mulls Import as Short-Term Solution, Investment, and Sanctions
The Minister also disclosed that as a last resort government might import commodities to augment available supplies.
“Now, the third item is that the government is also looking at the possibility, if it becomes absolutely necessary as an interim measure on the short run, to also import some of these commodities immediately so that these commodities can be made available to Nigerians within the next couple of weeks.”
Mr Idris stressed that the government had firmed up arrangements to invest massively to have a better farming season, in conjunction with farmers and other stakeholders.
“Now, with all these emergency measures, there is, of course, a directive to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to invest massively, in conjunction with Nigerian farmers and other producers, so that we can have better season coming up shortly.
“We all know that dry season farming is happening, that will take effect very shortly, and that we hope will also contribute, because as soon as the dry season farming gets underway, it is the hope of government that food prices will also come down.
“In the long run, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture is going to invest massively, so that Nigeria will recover its potential as a food basket and we don’t expect that going forward, we are going to be faced with these challenges again.”
He also disclosed that government would view seriously any attempt to hoard the food items, saying, “Government, of course, is also looking at all those who are hoarding these commodities, because, actually, these commodities are available in the stores of many traders.
“Government is appealing to them, that they should open up these stores, make these commodities available in the interest of our nation. There is no point when the whole country is looking for this food, you are locking up these products so that you make more money and then Nigerians suffer.
“Of course, the government will not fold its arms. We know where all these major traders are. We know where all these major stores are. And if they don’t respond by bringing these commodities to the market, the government will take appropriate measures to ensure that these products are made available to Nigerians.”
On possible sanctions against those hoarding food products, Mr Idris said, “You cannot hold the nation to ransom. You cannot have these commodities and you’re hoarding them in your stores, when we all need them. We are in an emergency situation and we will take emergency measures to make sure that this food is available to Nigerians.”
