…Commends President for Declaring Emergency on Food Security
By John Alechenu, Abuja
Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) has called on President Bola Tinubu and his economic team to take urgent steps to address Nigeria’s rising inflation and unemployment, stressing that such measures are crucial for citizens to reap the full benefits of the administration’s reforms.
Ndume made the appeal in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, where he also lauded the President for declaring a state of emergency on food security, describing it as a step in the right direction.
“The Federal Government must pay attention to the rate of inflation and bring it down. It must also ensure the stability of the naira against the greenback (dollar), especially since we are an import-dependent country,” the senator said.
He advised the Tinubu administration to fully explore opportunities presented by Nigeria’s recent inclusion in the BRICS economic group—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—noting that the country could benefit from trading in other currencies such as the Chinese Yuan rather than the over-reliance on the U.S. dollar.
Ndume also proposed the establishment of a Department of Government Efficiency under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). He explained that the new department would be responsible for ensuring that Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) strictly adhere to budget implementation and promote effective delivery of government policies.
His comments come on the heels of President Tinubu’s announcement—delivered by SGF George Akume at the 6th African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage in Abuja—that declared an emergency on food security.
The President emphasized the need to expand irrigation infrastructure and implement participatory water resource management across the country. He noted that Nigeria has over 3.1 million hectares of irrigable land concentrated around key river basins such as the Niger and Benue.
It will be recalled that Tinubu had, in July 2024, made a similar food-related pronouncement following a meeting with agricultural stakeholders, during which he ordered the immediate release of fertilisers and grains to farmers and households to mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy removal.
Ndume emphasized the importance of boosting food production to reduce market prices, while urging state governors to follow the example of Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum. He praised Zulum’s declaration of a state of emergency on food security and his provision of thousands of tractors, irrigation equipment, and subsidized fertilisers to farmers.
The senator concluded by urging President Tinubu to extend similar declarations of emergency to the economy and national security sectors, as a strategy to foster comprehensive development and growth.
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