Food Security: Tinubu Urged to Implement Dry Season Initiative in North Central

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has been called upon to urgently implement the dry season farming it initiated in the North Central zone of the country so as to boost food production and reduce insecurity in the country.

A member of the House of Representatives representing Moro/Patigi/Edu Federal Constituency of Kwara State, Hon. Ahmed Mohammed Saaba, made the call at Shonga Town in Edu Local Government Council of the state while distributing empowerment and palliatives to the people of the federal constituency.

He said that the speedy  implementation of the programme  by the federal government would enable farmers have access to farm  inputs and produce food in large quantity.

The lawmaker pointed out that, “By the time this dry season initiative is implemented, there will be a greater reduction in the insecurity as the beneficiaries who would be youths and farmers would be able to embark on massive food production and thereby assisting them to be doing the massive cultivation of food production and help them from indulging in any act of insecurity in their various states in the North Central region of the country”.

He stated that, “The project had already been captured in 2023 appropriation and North West has already started and I believe there is the need to speed up the implementation for the North Central.”

Hon. Saaba said the North Central states which are close to River Niger has the capacity and fertile land for the production of maize, rice and cassava to make food available and affordable to the teaming population.

He said the conditional cash transfer added to the initiative would enable farmers produce food at ease.

He explained that the rice, beans and other food items distributed as palliatives we’re produced in the same locality.

He however said: “I want to laud President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for donating rice, maize and other materials to all the members of the National Assembly members in the country to be distributing to our constituents to cushion the effects of subsidy removal.

“The gesture would go a long way to reduce the effects of the subsidy removal and this is what I am doing today to the people of Moro/Patigi/Edu Federal Constituency so as to alleviate the sufferings occasioned by the subsidy removal.

“Today we are empowering over two hundred people from different walks of lives with working tools, cash grant and food items to alleviate their sufferings”.

He however commended President  Tinubu for initiating the dry season farming programme to ensure food security in the country.

The lawmaker appealed to wealthy individuals to assist those in need to cushion their hardship.

He advised the beneficiaries not to sell the items given to them, adding that they should ensure they are used for the purposes they are meant for.

Some of the beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the federal government and the lawmaker for alleviating their sufferings.

They appealed to other wealthy individuals to replicate same gesture to other communities.

They also urged federal government to give necessary support to the lawmakers who are closer to the people at the grassroots and share in their problems.