President Bola Tinubu and governors have agreed on 10 ways to tackle the security and food challenges in the country.
Tinubu in company of Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday, February 14, 2024 met with the 36 States Governors and the FCT Minister at the State House.
Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who provided insight into the deliberations between the President and the state governors, said the meeting agreed on common grounds to addressing some of the challenges currently facing the country, especially the rising cost of food and insecurity.
Onanuga said after extensive deliberations the President and governors agreed to work together to solve the problems and tackle the economic pressure being faced by the citizens.
On ways to addressing insecurity which is affecting farming and food production, President Tinubu made three key pronouncements:
One, more police personnel to be recruited to strengthen the force.
Two, President Tinubu informed the governors that the Federal Government will work with them and the National Assembly towards putting in place a mechanism that will engender state police instead of the vigilantes that are being used in some states.
Three, the President charged the governors to strengthen their Forest Rangers and arm them to keep all the forest safe from criminals.
It was agreed that the modalities for State Police and addressing security issues to be discussed further at National Economic Council.
Insecurity: Tinubu, governors mull creation of state police
On rising cost of food, the President directed that the state and federal governments should collaborate to increase local food production. The President advised against the idea of food importation and price control when local food producers should be encouraged to produce more food.
Also, the President advised governors to follow the example of Kano State in dealing with hoarding of food for profiteering by commodities merchants. He directed the Inspector-General of Police, National Security Adviser, Department of State Services to monitor warehouses hoarding food items across the country and stop profiteering by merchants.
The President charged governors to pay attention to livestock development in their states and increase production most especially poultry and fishing products.
”My position at this meeting is that we must move aggressively and establish a committee to look critically at the issues raised, including the possibility of establishing state police.
”From Kano, we have read reports about large-scale hoarding of food in some warehouses. The National Security Adviser (NSA), the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services should coordinate very closely and ensure that security agencies in the states inspect such warehouses with follow up action.
”We must ensure that speculators, hoarders, and rent seekers are not allowed to sabotage our efforts in ensuring the wide availability of food to all Nigerians.
”What I will not do is to set a price control board. I will not also approve the importation of food. We should be able to get ourselves out of the situation we found ourselves in, because importation will allow rent seekers to perpetrate fraud and mismanagement at our collective expense. We would rather support farmers with the schemes that will make them go to the farm and grow more food for everyone in the country.
”We must also look at the rapid but thoughtful implementation of our livestock development and management plans, including dairy farming and others,” the President stated.
The President pleaded with governors to ensure all salary arrears to workers, gratuities to workers and pensioners are cleared as a way to put money into the hands of the people since states are now getting more monthly FAAC revenue. Spend the money, don’t spend the people, he urged the governors
President Tinubu implored governors to create more economic opportunities for the youths in their states to keep them more productively engaged.
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