Revive OFN to Enhance Food Security, Cleric Urges FG

A Muslim cleric,  Abdulateef Oladipo, has urged the federal government to revive Operation Feed The Nation (OFN) scheme to boost food security.

Oladipo, who is the former Chief Imam of Epe Central Mosque, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Epe,  yesterday.

 OFN was a national agriculture extension and mobilisation programme instituted by the military government in 1976 as a measure to achieve self sufficiency in food crop production and inspire a new generation to return to farming.

Oladipo said that the development was necessary for the three tiers of government to be independent in agricultural productions.

He advised that all states should set up farm settlements where agriculture and all other related businesses would take place.

“If OFN is revived, it will help each state to take achieve food security.

“This idea is sustainable because it will make each state to be independent and food will be surplus in the society.

“It will encourage “duopoly” and discourages monopoly of agriculture business,” he said.

The cleric lauded the government on the distribution of  food palliative, but said that it was not sustainable.

“I think that the once in a while food distribution cannot solve the hunger challenges of the Nigerians,” Oladipo said.

He urged the federal government to scale up the Ministry of Agriculture’s budget, and encourage young farmers with attractive incentives.

On the ongoing nation protests , Oladipo appealed to the protesters to suspend the it and give the government more time to develop its economic policies.

“As a cleric, I  believe in efforts by the government because I have been following up on its economic reform and policies.

“The policies might look tough, the economic reform might not be favourable to Nigerian now, but at the end we will all smile.

“Peaceful resolution and dialogue will do us more good than  resorting in violent protests, ” he said.

He commended President Bola Tinubu’s address to the nation on Sunday,  adding that the presidential address captured and addressed the demand of the citizens.