Hunger Protests: We’re Taking Measures To Tackle Food Inflation, I’ve Heard You Loud And Clear, Put A Stop To Violence-President Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu on Sunday explained reasons for taking what he called ‘difficult’ but ‘necessary’ decisions that would help to reform the country’s economy .
The president has also assured Nigerians that the current economic hardships will reduce immediately the reforms being carried out begin to yield desired results submitting that ‘we are working hard for you, and the results will soon be visible and concrete for everyone to see, feel, and enjoy’.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the president , who said this in a televised speech ,submitted that measures are already being taken to tackle food inflation in the country. He had done this in reaction to the nationwide hunger protests that began on Thursday, August 1,2024.
‘We are providing incentives to farmers to increase food production at affordable prices. I have directed that tariffs and other import duties should be removed on rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, drugs, and other pharmaceutical and medical supplies for the next 6 months, in the first instance, to help drive down the prices.
I have been meeting with our governors and key ministers to accelerate food production. We have distributed fertilisers. Our target is to cultivate more than 10 million hectares of land to grow what we eat. The Federal Government will provide all necessary incentives for this initiative, whilst the states provide the land, which will put millions of our people to work and further increase food production. In the past few months, we have also ordered mechanized farming equipment such as tractors and planters, worth billions of Naira from the United States, Belarus, and Brazil. I can confirm to you that the equipment is on the way’ he said.
The president also urged those who are participating in the protests to put a stop to violence while warning the citizens against making the nation’s democracy susceptible to truncation.
‘My dear Nigerians, especially our young people, I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens.
But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart. We must work together to build a brighter future, where every Nigerian can live with dignity and prosperity.
The task before us is a collective one, and I am leading the charge as your President. A lot of work has gone into stabilizing our economy and I must stay focused on ensuring that the benefits reach every single Nigerian as promised.
My administration is working very hard to improve and expand our national infrastructure and create more opportunities for our young people.
Let nobody misinform and miseducate you about your country or tell you that your government does not care about you. Although there have been many dashed hopes in the past, we are in a new era of Renewed Hope. We are working hard for you, and the results will soon be visible and concrete for everyone to see, feel, and enjoy.
Let us work together to build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come. Let us choose hope over fear, unity over division, and progress over stagnation. The economy is recovering; Please, don’t shut out its oxygen. Now that we have been enjoying democratic governance for 25 years, do not let the enemies of democracy use you to promote an unconstitutional agenda that will set us back on our democratic journey. forward ever, backward never!’ he said.
President Tinubu, who noted that the safety and security of all Nigerians are paramount, urged the security agents to maintain peace, law, and order in our country while also respecting the necessary conventions on human rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory.
.
The president, who also asserted that ‘State, and Local Governments have received the highest allocations ever in our country’s history from the Federation Account’, added that his commitment to growing the economy and promoting national development necessitated the decision to remove the petrol subsidy and abolish multiple foreign exchange rates .
‘For decades, our economy has remained anaemic and taken a dip because of many misalignments that have stunted our growth. Just over a year ago, our dear country, Nigeria, reached a point where we couldn’t afford to continue the use of temporary solutions to solve long-term problems for the sake of now and our unborn generations. I therefore took the painful yet necessary decision to remove fuel subsidies and abolish multiple foreign exchange systems which had constituted a noose around the economic jugular of our Nation and impeded our economic development and progress.
These actions blocked the greed and the profits that smugglers and rent-seekers made. They also blocked the undue subsidies we had extended to our neighbouring countries to the detriment of our people, rendering our economy prostrate. These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well. Yes, I agree that the buck stops with me . But I can assure you that I am focused fully on delivering the governance to the people – good governance for that matter’ he said.
The president noted that he was pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and other states, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of organizers of the nationwide protest that it would be peaceful across the country.
He has commiserated with the families and relations of those who have died in the protests while asking that the citizens should put a stop to bloodshed, violence and destruction-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
