Janet Samuel, Abuja
The Senate has cautioned the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, address the issue of food insecurity to avoid national unrest in the country
The Senate resolution was sequel to a motion by the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Sunday Karimi, on the urgent need to address food insecurity and market exploitation of consumables in Nigeria.
While presenting the motion, the lawmaker Noted that, “in the last few months, the price of goods and household consumables have been on an abysmal rise in the country, leading to a high rate of inflation, weakened buying power, and general worsening living conditions of vast majority of Nigerians.
“Further Notes that the latest data by Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics shows that food inflation in country skyrocketed to 40.66 percent on a year-on-year basis, a significant increase from the 24.82 per: recorded in May 2023.”
“Aware the current market price of food items such as beans, maize, rice, yam, tomatoes, and onions which initially rose by about 40% after the removal of petroleum Subsidy has now increased to over 100% and 300% without any attributable reason for the increase in prices”
Senators in their various contributions lamented the high cost of food in the country and urged the Federal Government to arrest the situation.
The Chief Whip, of the Senate. Ali Ndume, in his contribution. said credible global agencies had predicted acute foods and nutrition insecurity in the Sahel and West Africa, with particularly emphasis on Nigeria
He said, “Here in the North, we have started seeing it visibly. People are hungry, very, very hungry. Many cannot go to their farms. All of us know this. In the north central, the north east, and the north west.
“Even in the southeast, we still have crisis among the farmers and the herdsmen.
Even in the South West, we still have this crisis. As it is now, a bag of rice is selling at about N100,000. A bag of maize, the same thing. Even prices of tomatoes, onions, and other basic food is high.
“Distinguished colleagues, as representatives of the people, we need to do something. Or at least say something. That’s why I co-sponsored this motion. And I believe all of us here are concerned because we are talking to one another. Let’s do something.”
Former Senate President, Ahmad Lawan noted that there was a limit to nigerians patience and tolerance.
According to him, “I have seen first hand, how people, especially those who are not in the civil service, nor in any business, are suffering, fighting, struggling to have food at least once in a day.
“This Senate must engage the executive immediately. We should be seeing to be doing the right thing. We have really little or nothing in our food reserve across the country.
“If you come and tell us, they will distribute foodstuff from our silos. The silos are empty. So it means we have to import food. And if we have to import, it means we need foreign exchange. That is why we have to engage with administration.
“On importation, government must be entirely responsible because we cannot, continue to take people for granted for too long. We have come almost to the end of their patience. I think the elasticity is now going to elapse if we are not careful.”
Senator Ahmed Wadada, representing Nassarawa West Senatorial District, said “the matter at hand is a very, very serious matter.”
Wadada said, “Nigerians are very patient people and very enduring people. But no people can be as that patient when they are hungry.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio who earlier indicated that government has embarked on measures to halt food crisis in the country, urged his colleagues to take advantage of the fertilizer distribution before the major rains ravage the situation.
He however said, “So in your various senatorial districts, each senator would have 1,200 bags which would be given for immediate distribution across the senatorial districts, aside the 60 trucks for each states Governor.
Akpabio explained that, the process of distribution was delayed because of security reasons,as they needed to be sure that the fertilizers would not enter into wrong hands.
He added that, “For me I’m saying that this is an emergency. The food situation is an emergency. We must help our people.”
