Abdulsalami Abubakar: Hardship in Nigeria Getting Out of Control

•Says palliatives not solution to high food prices  

•Report reveals how governors are confronting challenges in states 

•Idris advises Nigerians to embrace FG’s intervention programmes

Laleye Dipo in Minna, Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, yesterday, took a critical look at the living condition of most Nigerians and concluded that “the hardship in the land is getting out of control”.

However, as Nigeria grapples with the challenge of food insecurity, governors of the 36 states have responded with unique strategies tailored to their specific agricultural strengths and vulnerabilities.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, urged Nigerians to take full advantage of the various intervention programmes introduced by the federal government, to overcome the current economic hardship.

Abdulsalami spoke in Minna, the Niger State capital, when he received the leadership of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), led by Abdullahi Mohammed Jabi, who paid him a birthday visit.

The CD delegation had asked him to prevail on President Bola Tinubu to find solution to the hunger in the land.

The former head of state lamented, “Everybody is crying of this hardship and it seems to be getting out of control. People cannot afford three square meals, the issue of transportation, the hike in fuel price, the hike in school fees for the children and the lack of funds in everybody’s pocket is making life difficult for everybody.”

Abdulsalami declared, “We will continue to encourage the government to introduce measures to soften the hardship.”

He added that “the federal, states and local governments should see how they can cushion this economic hardship”.

The former ruler said he belonged to a forum that had made recommendations to the federal government on the way out of the economic hardship in the land.

He stated, “I would like to inform you that in some of the proposals we have given to the government on another platform, giving palliatives is not the answer” to the high prices of food and other items in the country.

Abdulsalami said, “There is a need for government to flood and saturate the communities with food, let them (government) buy food and sell at lesser prices to the people so that people will try to buy some of these food items depending on their pockets/ income

“We have passed these recommendations to the government, we hope they will implement it.”

On the planned #Endbadgovernance protest slated for October 1, Abdulsalami appealed to Nigerians, “For God’s sake when you demonstrate do it peacefully,” recalling that in the last demonstration, “We saw unnecessary, uncalled for carnage, theft and criminalities.”

According to him, “People, instead of demonstrating, went about looting even private houses, private individuals suffered in the hands of the demonstrators.

“If at all we are going to demonstrate let us know this is why we are demonstrating, let us not inflict hardship on fellow Nigerians.”

Abdulsalami said the government should listen to the demonstrators, stressing,”You cannot beat a child and prevent it from crying.”

Earlier, the leader of the delegation said they were at his former head of state’s residence to rejoice with him on his birthday. They prayed for long life and good health for him.

Jabi solicited the support of the former Nigerian leader for the implementation of some of its programmes, especially in the area of mobilisation of Nigerians for active participation in governance.

He drew the attention of their host to the prevailing hunger in the land and urged him to help prevail on the federal government to solve the problem.

In the meantime, governors of the 36 states devised strategies for tackling the food insecurity in the country.

From the drought-prone states of the north to the floodplains of the south, state governments, in collaboration with federal authorities and international organisations, were making concerted efforts to combat hunger and improve agricultural productivity.

In a document signed by Head of Information and Publications of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Halima Ahmed, in the North-west, known for its vast expanse of arable land, states like Kano, Jigawa, Zamfara, and Sokoto, focused on bolstering the production of staple crops, such as rice, millet, and sorghum.

Through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, which had since been suspended, thousands of smallholder farmers were said to have received financial support and inputs to scale up their production.

For instance, for Kano State, often referred to as the “commercial nerve centre of agriculture,” the main policy thrust was to attain food security and raise the income level of residents of the state.

For agriculture, the report revealed that the administration of Abba Yusuf was working round the clock to transform all farming practices and build a practical agric-value-chain to the benefit of all.

The effort included development of Kano irrigation masterplan, Kano livestock masterplan, Kano poultry masterplan, Kano Small ruminant masterplan, and Kano fisheries masterplan.

Others were the distribution of agricultural inputs, such as improved seeds of rice, maize, and sorghum, to subsistence farmers across the 44 local government areas of the state.

The report highlighted the rehabilitation of Tertiary Irrigation Canals, with 3,288 farmers as beneficiaries, at the cost of N292 million, and introduction of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone programme (SAPZ) by the African Development Bank worth $130 million to promote the production of rice, tomato, groundnut, and sesame seed.

Furthermore, the report revealed that with rice production initiatives that involved expanding irrigation systems with water resources from the Tiga and Challawa dams, farmers could cultivate rice during both the rainy and dry seasons.

Additionally, Zamfara State invested in mechanised farming and fertiliser distribution to boost yield while addressing post-harvest losses.

The Jigawa State government embarked on a journey to Kigali earlier this month, leading a delegation to attend the National Food Systems Summit 2024 for food sovereignty and enhancing agricultural resilience.

The government reiterated its commitment to the current administration’s 12-point agenda, with as the mainstay.

Central to this agenda were the rice millionaire project, the wheat project, and special agro-processing zones.

The projects were all geared towards accelerating agricultural transformation. Jigawa also partnered the federal government on the spin project.

However, the North-west also faced challenges, with recurring conflicts between herders and farmers, threatening food production. To address this, the federal government introduced peacebuilding programmes and grazing reserves aimed at reducing tensions and protecting farmland.

According to the report, the North-east, ravaged by a decade-long insurgency, has struggled to maintain food production levels. States like Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa had been hit hardest by food insecurity, as ongoing conflict displaced millions of farmers and destroyed farmlands.

In response, Borno State Government, alongside international organisations, like United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP), initiated several programmes to restore farming activities in safe areas.

FAO’s “Green Shoots” project, for example, provided displaced farmers with seeds, tools, and training to rebuild their agricultural livelihoods.

Additionally, Yobe State invested in climate-smart agriculture, introducing drought-resistant crops, like cowpeas and millet, to adapt to changing weather patterns.

The report said, however, “Despite these efforts, the North-east continues to face an acute food crisis, and humanitarian organisations remain critical in delivering emergency food aid to vulnerable populations.

“The North-central region, comprising states like Benue, Niger, Kwara, Kogi and Nasarawa remains, the agricultural heartland of Nigeria.”

Often referred to as the country’s “food basket”, Benue, in particular, is known for its abundant production of yam, cassava, and maize, which feed a significant portion of the country.

Kwara State made bold strides to transform its agricultural sector into a key economic driver. The state government, committed to revitalising agriculture, led efforts to attract international investment and modernise farming practices – with a focus on bolstering support for farmers, upgrading infrastructure and enhancing security to facilitate substantial agricultural growth.

Kwara State invested in processing plants for cashew and cassava and initiated a large-scale industrial park covering over 300,000 hectares. Also, 20 hectares of seed cotton and ginnery were farmed. All these were to boost the agricultural production of the state, and enhance the livelihood of citizens.

In the South-west, states like Oyo, Ogun, and Ekiti turned to technology to improve agricultural productivity, the report said.

Oyo State Government, in partnership with private tech firms, introduced drone technology for precision farming, allowing farmers to monitor crop health, detect pests, and optimise irrigation.

In Ogun State, the Dapo Abiodun government launched the harvest of the 200-hectare rice farm at Magboro in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the state.

In just three months, the farm cluster yielded 1,400 tonnes of rice. This, according to the report, was projected to bring in N1 billion in revenue every three months. The project would now be scaled up to guarantee revenue in the region of N10 billion-N25 billion.

The World Bank-assisted project meant to ensure the increased participation of the private sector in the economic development of the Gateway State, was the brainchild of the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project.

Farmers were sensitised and aggregated into 10 groups that constituted the rice cluster, and the government supported them with 65 per cent of the cost of land preparation or mechanisation, while they contributed the rest.

Additionally, the South-west states invested heavily in processing plants to reduce dependency on food imports. Oyo State recently launched a cassava processing plant expected to boost local cassava production and provide job opportunities.

The South-south region, characterised by its vast river systems and coastal areas, embraced aquaculture as a key strategy to combat food insecurity, the report disclosed.

With dwindling fish stocks in the wild, states like Rivers, Bayelsa, and Cross River invested in fish farming as an alternative to traditional fishing methods.

Ebonyi State promised massive initiatives in food storage facilities, a key component of sustainable agricultural development of the state.

Cross River State focused on expanding oil palm and cocoa production, partnering with international companies to improve yields and ensure sustainable practices.

However, the region faced unique challenges, from climate change, including rising sea levels and coastal erosion, which threatened farmlands and fisheries.

The Senator Bassey Otu administration initiated the Cross River State Oil Palm Development Initiative (CRODI) and procured 3.5 million improved sprouted oil palm nuts from the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), to distribute to farmers in a bid to boost the oil palm subsector of the state.

The South-south states were working with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to develop climate adaptation strategies.

In the Southeast, revitalisation of poultry and cassava farming took the lead. In this zone, agriculture experienced a renaissance, with states like Anambra, Imo, and Abia investing heavily in poultry and cassava farming.

Imo State launched a “Cassava Revolution” programme, which provided farmers with improved cassava varieties and access to processing equipment, aimed at increasing output and reducing post-harvest waste.

Enugu State paid ample attention to provision of food storage facilities, in line with the agricultural policies of the state government.

Some special agro-processing zones will have silos, the produce city, as well as the warehouses under the ministry of agriculture.

Few months ago, Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State officially launched this year’s distribution of 1,040,000 economic trees’ seedlings at the Achebe Stadium, Onisha South Local Government Area.

These seedlings were for the following plants: oil palm, African breadfruit, bitter kola, kola-nut and pawpaw.

Anambra’s model was to distribute resilient and well-researched seedlings to households who will not only use the produce from these seedlings to feed their households but also contribute to Anambra’s food production ecosystem by selling their surplus produce.

Moreover, the South-east states worked to improve road infrastructure to facilitate the transportation of goods to markets.

Better roads mean quicker access to consumers and reduced spoilage of perishable goods, helping farmers earn more and boost food security, the report said.

Meanwhile, the information and national orientation minister urged the citizenry to take full advantage of the various intervention programmes created by the federal government, in order to overcome the current economic hardship.

Idris made the call yesterday in Umuahia during a town hall meeting on sensitising the citizens on the federal government’s interventions. He said the government was intentional in throwing the lifelines for citizens to stay afloat in the turbulent waters of economic transition.

The minister, whose address was presented by the Head of Federal Information Centre (FIC), Umuahia, Mrs. Gloria Abiakam, underscored the need for the citizens to be kept abreast of the federal government’s interventions so they could key into them.

He said the government embarked on the sensitisation exercise with a shared purpose for Nigerians, “to uplift and empower every one of us, and to extend a hand of support in this period of transition.”

He explained that the intervention programmes were specifically “designed to ease the impact of recent policy changes, particularly the removal of the fuel subsidy.”

Idris acknowledged that “the removal of the fuel subsidy, while necessary, has undoubtedly brought about challenges that many of us are feeling deeply.”

Idris he stated that he was in Abia, “to share the good news that your government is not blind to these challenges, nor are we indifferent,” to the plight of Nigerians.

He said, “The government remains deeply committed to cushioning the effects of these changes through a series of strategic initiatives aimed at addressing various sectors and needs of our people.”

The minister listed no fewer than 11 intervention programmes that the federal government had rolled out with the people in mind, adding that the initiatives, “are not just programmes, but lifelines – opportunities for us to grow, thrive, and secure a brighter future”.

The initiatives included the Students Loan Scheme; Consumer Credit Corporation (credicorp.ng); Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative; Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDiCE) Programme, and the Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA).

Other intervention programmes include the National Youth Talent Export Programme (NATEP);  Housing Initiatives; Nano-Business Support; Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA); Micro and Small Business Loans and the NDDC Internship Scheme for Niger Delta Youth.

“These programmes are vital for fostering economic growth, creating job opportunities, and enhancing the quality of life for every Nigerian,” the information minister said.

He stated that despite the gloomy climate of the economy, Nigerians should not be despondent, as, “hope is alive (because) amidst the changes, a multitude of opportunities are being created to help cushion the effects of this policy”.

Idris assured Nigerians that “the federal government is committed to standing by the people, ensuring that no one is left behind”.

He said, “These intervention programmes are designed with you in mind – they are meant to empower, uplift, and provide relief where it is most needed”.

While explaining the meaning, scope, goal and the targeted group for each of the programmes, the minister insisted that they were all people-oriented initiatives.

He described them as “a testament to the federal government’s commitment to inclusive development and its determination to provide sustainable solutions that will uplift the standard of living for all Nigerians”.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation called on the citizenry “to spread the word, these programmes are here for you, your neighbours, your families, and your communities.”

He urged all states and local governments “to actively disseminate information about these initiatives and ensure that citizens across all regions are fully aware and encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities.”

Idris encouraged the citizens to join hands with the government in efforts to turn the economy around, pointing out that “together, we can build a brighter and more prosperous future for Nigeria where everyone has the chance to succeed”.

He added, “We are committed to your well-being, and we are working tirelessly to create a future where all Nigerians can thrive. With unity, hope, and hard work, we will rise from these challenges stronger and more resilient than ever before.”