The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, voiced grave apprehensions over Nigeria’s precarious state, citing rampant unemployment and hunger among its youth population as a volatile mix fueling instability.
Addressing the 6th Executive Committee Meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council in Kaduna, the Sultan echoed recent sentiments expressed by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, who lamented the widespread hunger and starvation plaguing the nation.
Emphasizing the urgent need for action, Sultan Abubakar highlighted the alarming escalation of economic hardship, triggering widespread agitation and discontent among citizens. He underscored the pressing need for collaborative efforts to address the twin crises of insecurity and poverty, stressing that neglecting these issues could have dire consequences.
Expressing concern over the lack of sustainable livelihoods for millions of young Nigerians, the Sultan issued a stark warning, likening the nation’s situation to a “keg of gunpowder” ready to explode. He urged political leaders to prioritize job creation and food security to avert potential unrest.
Acknowledging the existence of viable solutions, the Sultan lamented the persistent failure in implementing effective measures to tackle Nigeria’s challenges. He called for concerted efforts from political leaders and security chiefs to translate proposed solutions into tangible outcomes for the betterment of both the North and the nation as a whole.
In a bid to broaden the scope of deliberations, the council extended invitations to key stakeholders, including the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), to contribute their insights and recommendations. The Sultan charged them with addressing critical issues spanning education, healthcare, security, and poverty within the Northern region.
Recognizing the crucial role of community leaders in assuaging public concerns, the Sultan urged concerted efforts to reassure and guide citizens through turbulent times. He emphasized the importance of proactive measures, urging individuals to combine prayers with tangible actions to effect meaningful change and foster a more secure and prosperous future.
42, 000MT of grains coming – FG
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The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, yesterday said the federal government would distribute 42,000 metric tonnes of grains free of charge to Nigerians as approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He stated this at a ministerial press briefing in Abuja.
He said officials of his ministry had met with the National Emergency Agency (NEMA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) on the modalities for the distribution, in order to ensure that the grains reach the targeted citizens.
The minister said the food items would be released from the 53,000 metric tons in the strategic reserve.
He said food security was partially challenged by some factors, including flooding and insecurity.
He noted that the government was trying to crash prices and make food available to the citizens.
He said the government would enhance its ability to produce three million tons of rice during the dry season.
He also said the government had a target to produce about 2.5 to 3 million tons during the current dry season farming.
Kyari said the government had met with rice millers and other commodity producers as some of them had huge silos in their factories where food was stored.
He stated: “So we did some background checks of what is available. That is not to say that the farmers are going to produce 60,000 tons, no.
They have them in storage; we are asking them to hand it over for the government to off-take, so that it can be given out to the population. We’re still working out the modality on how it is going to be. As soon as we conclude on this, we’ll roll out the programme.”
The minister further said: “This 42,000MT is going to the needy free of charge. It will be directly to the needy at no cost.
Kyari also said the federal government plans to involve state governors in identifying real farmers that would benefit from interventions to enable them to produce more food.
He described the discovery “political farmers” in the farmers’ database kept by the ministry as unhelpful in the food production value chain.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the briefing was to explain to Nigerians, the five pillars of the administration’s renewed hope agenda which are to restore trust, amplify policies and programmes, reorient national values, modernize technology and talents and to create an enabling environment for the media to operate.
