President Bola Tinubu has directed a Federal Executive Council (FEC) committee to fast-track measures aimed at reducing food prices across the country.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a capacity-building workshop for Senate correspondents.
Abdullahi said the directive focuses on guaranteeing safe passage for farm produce across transport routes to ease logistics bottlenecks and lower costs.
“The President has given a matching order with a Federal Executive Council committee already handling how we are going to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across our various routes in the country,” he stated.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has seen worsening food insecurity, aggravated by the removal of fuel subsidy, rising transport costs, and insecurity on key highways.
To boost productivity, Abdullahi revealed that government will soon roll out a Farmer Soil Health Scheme and a revamped cooperative reform initiative to mobilise resources and empower rural farmers.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for resource mobilisation, economic activity generation, and improving the livelihood of members,” the minister added.
The event, themed “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities,” also featured Senate Media Committee Chairman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu; former presidential aide, Senator Ita Solomon Enang; and NILDS Director-General, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.
