The Senate, on Tuesday, asked the Federal Government to immediately address the issue of food insecurity in Nigeria, to avoid explosion of anger amongst Nigerians.
The apex legislative Assembly also stressed the need for the Federal Government to adequately inform the general public on steps being taken to avoid negative reactions from the citizenry.
The Senate said that taking these precautionary steps was necessary to avoid the wrath of the citizenry who are currently undergoing excruciating hunger and acute starvation in the country.
The Upper Chamber also raised the alarm that food crisis could be imminent in the country as the entire food reserves in the country had become totally empty.
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.
In their separate contributions, Senators lamented the high cost of food in the country and urged the Federal Government to arrest the situation without further delay.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said that government had taken measures to halt food crisis in the country, asking the Chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Salihu Mustapha to brief the Chamber on the issue of fertilizer distribution.
Responding, Mustapha said that the Federal Government had decided to distribute to each state governor for onward distribution to farmers, saying that each of the Senators would also distribute two trucks each while members of the House of Representatives would share one truck each to the farmers in their various constituencies.
Speaking further on the issue, Akpabio said,
Quote
“irrespective of political party, each state governor is going to get at least 60 trucks immediately.
“The reason they are giving two trucks to each senators and one each to House of Representatives members is because some of the state governors and the lawmakers are not in the same political party.
“They (governors) may get and they may not really look at your constituents. So for some of you, it’s important that you also have something to share to your constituents.
“Your own will be two trucks. House of Representatives members will get one.”
“The reason they are giving two trucks to each senators and one each to House of Representatives members is because some of the state governors and the lawmakers are not in the same political party.
“They (governors) may get and they may not really look at your constituents. So for some of you, it’s important that you also have something to share to your constituents.
“Your own will be two trucks. House of Representatives members will get one.”
In his contribution, the Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, said credible global agencies had predicted acute foods and nutrition insecurity in the Sahel and West Africa, with particularly emphasis on Nigeria
He said,
Quote
“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.”
“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.”
Senator Ahmed Wadada, representing Nassara West Senatorial District, said “the matter at hand is a very, very serious matter.”
“Nigerians are very patient people and very enduring people. But no people can be as that patient when they are hungry.”
Former President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, noted that there was a limit that a people could exercise patience and tolerance, saying: “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.”
While rounding concluding the debate, the President of the Senate, urged his colleagues to take advantage of the fertilizer distribution before the major rains ravaged the situation.
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