Open Grain Reserves To Fight Hunger, Agbata Urges Federal Govt

ABUJA - Concerned by the rising cost of foodstuffs in the market, certified bank and risk management expert, Elder Steve Agbata, has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government, to open the nation’s strategic grain reserves to make food available in the market for the benefit of the common man.

Elder Agbata, who stated this in an interview with journalists in Abuja, noted that given the fact that the primary responsibility of government is the security and welfare of its citizens, the Nigerian government must demonstrate sufficient commitment to the lives of Nigerians by rising up to protect them from the hazards of inflation pervading the land.

He insisted that bringing food out of the grain reserves will make same available in the market and ultimately bring down the cost.

According to Agbata, who is fondly called Eldersteveverified, the incessant hike in the commodity price index in the country was a function of the growing insecurity across the country, which has made it difficult for most farmers to access their farms.

He, therefore, called on the federal government to assuage the fears of the farmers by taking the war against insurgency to the enclaves of terrorists and bandits even as he noted that if given all they need, the military was more than a sufficient match for the criminal elements currently threatening the peace in the land and driving the country to the edge.

According to Elder Agbata, “government can no longer fold its hands pretending all is well with the economy. All is not well at all. We are facing a real and serious crisis of huger and starvation in the land.

“It is high time that government open up the strategic grain reserves to combat the growing hunger in the country as a result of rising cost of foodstuffs and very weak purchasing power.

“Hunger is killing our people and the way out at the moment is for government to open the grain reserves and flood the market with the grains so that we will have more supply to meet the demand.”

LEADERSHIP reports that the cost of foodstuffs and other essential commodities have been on a steady rise in the past few years following a spike in the violent campaign of Boko Haram, bandits and kidnappers.

Apart from terrorism, the coronavirus pandemic also slowed down agricultural activities as government enforced a nationwide lockdown, which paralyzed economic activities as many business ventures either downsized or closed down completely.

Recall that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, had recently hinted of federal government’s intent to intervene in the food market to address rising incidences of hunger and malnutrition in the land.

“We cannot pretend that all is well at all. This is a time for all hands to be on deck in order for us to take our people out or Hunger and make the society a better place for us all to thrive without starvation,” Elder Agbata added.