President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate release of 102,000 metric tonnes of grains as part of measures to cushion the nation’s growing food crisis and the rising cost of commodities.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the last leg of a series of three meetings of the Special Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Intervention at the Aso Rock Villa on Thursday.
Idris said the President ordered the immediate release of more than 102,000 metric tons of maize, millet, garlic, and other commodities from the National Food Reserve and the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria.
He said, “The first one is that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has been directed to 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; 42,000 metric tons immediately.
“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 that is enough to take Nigerians the next one month to six weeks, perhaps up to two months.”
The minister revealed that the administration will resort to importing to augment any shortages observed after the release of the food items.
“Now, the third item is that government is also looking at the possibility, if it becomes absolutely necessary, as an interim measure in the short run to also import some of these commodities,” he added.
The minister, however, declined to mention specifics and affirmed the government’s readiness to take punitive measures against those he called food hoarders.
