Hardship: FG Sets To Begin Food Distribution Nationwide 

As part of efforts to cushion the impacts of the hardship in Nigeria the Federal Government is set to begin the distribution of grains nationwide. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Senator Abubakar Kyari disclosed this on Monday, hailing the resilience of the Nigerian people. He urged them to back President Bola Tinubu’s government in its quest to address the challenges facing the country. “Dear Fellow Nigerians,” he wrote on his official X handle. “In these trying times, I extend my sincere compassion to those affected by the hardships in the country. I understand the gravity of the situation, especially with the unfortunate event of foodstuff warehouse looting. “Amidst these challenges, I want to assure you that our commitment to your well-being remains resolute. We shall commence the distribution of 42,000 metric tons of grains, as approved by Mr. President, across the 36 states of the federation as one of the programs to be rolled out this week. “We are working hand in hand with NEMA and the DSS to ensure that the grains get to the right people in the right packages and quantities. Furthermore, 58,500 metric tons of milled rice from mega rice millers will also be released into the market for stabilization.” “I acknowledge the strength of the Nigerian people, and it is this resilience that will guide us through these difficult times. Let us stand together to support Mr. President in his strive for a better Nigeria,” Kyari said. “Our government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to addressing these challenges and working towards a more secure and prosperous future for all.”

Tinubu Explains Delay in Food Distribution To Cushion Hardship Effects

President Bola Tinubu has addressed the delay in the distribution of 42,000 metric tonnes of grains promised by the federal government to ease the current economic strain on Nigerians.  According to Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, the grains are currently being bagged in seven strategic locations, causing the delay as the bags were freshly ordered.  Onanuga assured that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is overseeing the process, emphasizing that the grain bags are free of charge. Additionally, the government plans to provide 60,000 metric tonnes of rice to support the vulnerable population. Onanuga said: “The Tinubu administration through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is in the final stages of releasing 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted food commodities to support the vulnerable population across the country,” Onanuga said in the statement on Friday. “The grains in seven locations of strategic reserve, are now being bagged for onward delivery to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The need to bag the grains, caused the delay as the bags were freshly ordered by the government.  “Nigerians will not need to pay for the grain bags, as they are free. This will be complemented by the 60,000 metric tonnes of milled rice to be purchased by the Federal Government from the Mega Rice Millers.  “Already, with the announcement of the impending releases of food commodities from the Strategic Reserve, there is a noticeable reduction in commodity prices across major grains markets in the country, Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari.”

Lagos To Inaugurate Largest Food Logistics Hub In 2024 -Sanwo-Olu

The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has disclosed that the first phase of the largest food logistics hub in West Africa will be inaugurated in 2024 to boost food security in the state. Sanwo-Olu stated this while addressing journalists at the grand finale of the 2023 World Food Day celebration at the Nigeria Police College, Ikeja, Lagos. The governor, accompanied by Ms Abisola Olusanya, State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Oluwarotimi Fashola, Special Adviser to the governor on Rice Initiative and members of the state executive council inspected various agricultural produce and product on display. Farmers from the 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas participated in the fair. The programme tagged: Farm Fair, Shop, Eat and Learn” is to commemorate the 2023 World Food Day with the theme: “Water is Life, Water is Food, Leave No One Behind”. The World Food Day is an annual celebration by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations on Oct.16, to encourage action on food insecurity. “A part from the middle level markets that we are building, we are building the largest food logistics hub in the whole of West Africa. “You were part of the ground breaking ceremony which we did last year and I want to inform you that before this time next year, we should have finished the phase one of the project. “It is the largest logistics hub in the whole of West Africa, you can take a trip there independently and see for yourself, the amount of work that is going on there. “That logistics food market is supposed to be the central hub where all sort of food in Lagos will come in, it has cold storage and dry storage and all sorts. “Our plan, if you remember that two years ago, we flagged with our five-year plan, it will now take them to the middle level market; we have built about three of them and we are building additional five. “The middle level markets will now take it from main hubs before it now goes to last mile, the corner show markets and the markets that all of you see in the state,” he said. The governor said the state had a robust integrated plan that would ensure food sufficiency and food adequacy in Lagos. He noted that the plan became important because food security globally was becoming an issue. “We have a robust integrated plan at ensuring that food sufficiency, food adequacy in Lagos is secured because food security globally is becoming an issue. “For us as a government, we need to be able to help the market, we need to be able to help the farmers and we need to help our citizens. “That’s why I have come here personally to come and celebrate with them, to come and celebrate them and to come and say it to them that we will not leave them alone. “We will continue to bring about infrastructure and funding to ensure that the theme for this year leave know one behind,” he said. The governor encouraged more people to go into rice cultivation to sustain the state’s rice mill in Imota, Ikorodu. “We are looking for paddy rice growers in Lagos because we have the biggest rice mill and we are also collaborating with other states. “Our rice mill still needs a lot of paddy. It does not matter the quantity of tonnes of paddy that they grow, we will buy it off them. “The same thing with other paddy growers in the country and we need to begin to ensure that food is also affordable and accessible. “We know that the price of food has gone up but with intervention like this, that brings market closer to the consumers, am sure that all of the produce that have been brought here today will be picked up and bought-up,” he said. Sanwo-Olu said that his administration was committed to encouraging farmers, while assuring that farming was important to his administration to ensure that food was affordable and accessible for all. “I am here this afternoon to give them all the encouragement, to show to the world that Lagos can begin to show the way for urban farming. “We do not have a lot of land but the little one that we have, we are encouraging our farmers to continue to support the need of the citizens because we know that we need to grow what we eat and eat what we grow. “We can collaborate with other neighbouring states and other parts of the country to bring all of these produce to Lagos because the population is here. “For me, it is to continue to encourage of the Ministry of Agric and all of their officers, extension workers and project managers to continue to help and hold these farmers. “Especially in the aquaculture farming, piggery, fishing, poultry and all of the other areas in which we can excel. “It’s another year of celebration to celebrate them, to thank them, and for the media to know that farming for us is important. Earlier, Ms Abisola Olusanya, State Commissioner for Agriculture, said farmers and farmers’ groups with exceptional produce would be recognised and awarded prizes at the event. Olusanya noted that farmers, fishermen, and processors from the entire length and breadth of the state participated in the celebration. She said that the farmers had put in a lot of work in their different value chains to feed Lagosians and as the saying goes, “no farmer, no nation”.  Dr Femi Oke, the Chairman All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Lagos and South-West Zone, said insecurity, flooding and poor funding pose a great danger to food security in the country. Oke urged the federal and state governments to increase budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector to increase funding to farmers. He also called for reduction in interest rates for farmers and agro processors to reduce the price of food commodities. “It is not too conducive for a farmer to

N5bn Palliative: FCT to boost transportation, food –Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Mr Nyesom Wike, says the FCTA is considering transportation and food supplies support with the N5 billion palliative received from the Federal Government. Wike stated this in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with contractors handling different projects in the FCT. The Federal Government had on Aug. 17 announced a N5 billion palliative for each state of the federation, including the FCT, to cushion the impact of the removal of the petrol subsidy. Some of the state governments have confirmed receiving N2 billion from the amount, while awaiting the N3 billion balance. However, the minister said that the FCT was not included in the N5 billion palliative until he wrote a memo informing President Bola Tinubu of the development. He added that Tinubu has approved the amount, adding that other states have received N2 billion already, expressing confidence that the FCT will equally receive soon. “But we are yet to decide on what to do with the N2 billion palliative. We have not chosen any area yet. “Are we going to concentrate on food, but we are thinking that the issue of transportation is very very important, particularly the urban mass transit. “People would like to have easy transportation to go to where they want to go, and if you give them rice and they eat the rice today, what about transportation tomorrow? “So, we have not come up with what actually we are going to use the money for, but I believe food support and transportation is very key,” he said. The minister added that efforts were ongoing to bring back urban mass transportation to be able to reduce the suffering of the masses in terms of transportation.