In a video clip aired by Arise Television, Festus Osifo, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), asserted that importing food could alleviate food shortages in the nation. During the interview, Osifo emphasized the pressing need for survival, stating that it is crucial for Nigerians to witness tomorrow before fully appreciating the efficacy of government policies….…CONTINUE READING>>>>>>
Osifo highlighted the potential repercussions of government intervention in the rice market, expressing concern that injecting large sums of money could lead to increased rice prices due to heightened demand. He argued that it would be more prudent for the government to support local rice production and only resort to importing rice when necessary for distribution to the masses. Osifo stressed the importance of addressing the immediate food shortage as an urgent emergency, emphasizing that a well-fed population is essential for achieving self-sufficiency in the long term. Therefore, he urged the government to swiftly initiate the importation of essential food items and allow their entry into the country within the next two weeks.
He said that, “The national pride of striving to achieve food sufficiency locally and not importing from abroad should be temporarily relaxed. Government at all levels should immediately source and purchase sufficient quantities of food items from different parts of the world and distribute them to vulnerable Nigerians. Importing food from abroad at this point will assist in reducing the hyper-inflation of food that is currently being experienced locally.”
Speaking further he stated that, “For example, the price of rice is above the roof today because the government at all levels is chasing rice producers to buy the available rice. When the government carries their billion Naira into the market chasing rice, the same rice that the middle class and those they didn’t put within the vulnerable groups are also going to buy. The price of rice is bound to increase because you have excess demand for it, but if they allow us to manage the one we have locally, whenever they want to distribute rice to the masses, they should import it from abroad.”
He added that, “It is when you’re well fed that you will say you want to be self-sufficient. This is an emergency, and the government must treat it as such. TUC hereby demands that the government, as a matter of urgency, commence importation and allow the importation of essential food items into the country within the next two weeks.”…CONTINUE READING>>>>>>
