The Minister of Works, David Umahi, says the present economic hardship in the country did not start from President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Umahi attributed the hardship to some preceding factors, saying past administrations had build-ups of farmers and herders conflicts among other forms of insecurity which, he said, adversely affected food production.

The minister made the declaration while speaking with journalists at his hometown, Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on Sunday, March 3, 2024.

Umahi, the immediate past governor of Ebonyi State, said: “I was the Chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC) committee on resolving farmers and herders conflicts and I settled such conflicts in several states, especially in the north.

“Such settlements yielded fruits but the problem had dealt a lot of blow on food production with farmers prevented from going to their farms.”

He noted that with such underlying developments, no one should expect Tinubu’s administration to fix such challenges within nine months.

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Umahi added: “It is not possible to solve the problems within such period in office and we should ask ourselves how to solve them.

“President Tinubu is fortunately tackling the problems with his policies and when something has gotten to the climax, you don’t expect to dissolve it overnight.”

The minister said the South-East geopolitical zone for instance was presently free from incessant farmers and herders conflict, noting that this has shown that President Tinubu had solved the region’s major problem.

“That is why we should not join the protests on economic hardship because if you remove the gunmen issue, the zone will be safe and farmers can work,” he said.

Umahi further commended Tinubu for directing cement manufacturers to revert to the old prices of the product to further cushion the effects of hardship in the country.

The former governor said: “The president is a compassionate leader who feels the sufferings of his people and we expect the manufacturers to comply with the presidential directive.

“I also commend my successor Governor Francis Nwifuru for taking proactive steps to revive the Nigeria Cement (NIGERCEM) Company, Nkalagu, as it should not continue being moribund.”

The Star