Ahmad Lawan: Nigerians Hungry, in Desperate Situation

•Declares palliatives cannot address starvation 

•Says high interest rate stifling businesses, investments, food production

•Ndume mobilises Borno Emirs against tax reform bills 

•Traditional ruler insists proposed legislations worse than boko haram insurgency

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

Former President of the Senate,  Senator Ahmad Lawan, yesterday said Nigerians were hungry and in desperate situation.

Lawan made the remarks same day the Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Ali Ndume, asked monarchs in his constituency to reject the tax reform bills which President Bola Tinubu sent to the federal lawmakers for consideration and approval.

The former Senate President spoke while speaking after flagging off the distribution of grains and food materials to the vulnerable in his senatorial district of Yobe North,

He called on political leaders to find a lasting solution to the nation’s economic and security challenges.

He explained that the distribution of food items by his foundation, the Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, SAIL, Foundation was an intervention to complement efforts by the Yobe State government to provide relief to the poor and needy during the festive period.

Lawan, in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Ezrel Tabiowo, noted that bailouts and interventions, including the distribution of food items, were merely temporary measures that do not address the real problems faced by vulnerable Nigerians.

The former Senate president added: “There is need for those of us that can afford it to help those who are in dire need. It is no secret that many Nigerians are in a very desperate situation. This intervention is to give solace and some kind of relief, especially at this festive period.

“Our intention is that these food materials should go down to those who are distressed and vulnerable to the economic situation in the country; and it is not enough. Such an intervention can provide some relief for some time.

”However, our desire and wish is to make every Nigerian self-reliant. Bailouts like this, or stopgap arrangements cannot stop the problems. But, before we reach that destination, we have to do something like this.”

Lawan also stressed that high interest rate of 34 percent was and stifling businesses, investments and food production in the country.

This, he argued makes it difficult for local businesses and farmers to declare profits and compete favourably with their counterparts in other countries offering very low interest rates.

“We must also do something to make funds for investment accessible. Today, the interest rate is prohibitive; in fact, it is callous. In other countries, they give half percent of interest rates but today, in this country, it is probably 34 percent when you go to the bank to borrow.

“How would you invest and compete with farmers from countries that give half per cent interest rate? We need to do so much. But before we reach that destination, we must intervene and come in to support our people.”

Lawan, who underscored the crucial role played by State governments in complementing those of the federal government in delivering good governance, expressed hope that the economic reforms introduced by Tinubu’s administration would yield the desired results in 2025.

“I’m looking forward to a very successful 2025 that sees an end to all these economic situations we face; and that those economic reforms introduced by the federal government would yield the fruits that we had expected.

“But governance is beyond the federal government. The State governments also have some important and crucial roles to play to complement what the federal government has been doing. Here in Yobe, the state government has been doing very well.

”Recently, it distributed food items to the vulnerable. Whatever we do here is to complement what the state government is doing, and I’ll advocate that every state does it, but this is not the solution,” he said.

Lawan bemoaned plight of Nigerian farmers in some northwestern States of the federation, most of whom he noted had lost their source of livelihood due to the spate of insecurity.

“We should start thinking about how to make our farmers go back to the farms. In some States of the North-West, the bandits have made it difficult, if not impossible, for them to go to the farms. Most of the people are peasants who depend on farming.

”Now that they cannot go to the farms, what else will they do?

“So, we must as leaders, work for our farmers to go back to the farms and, not only that, provide the right inputs at the right time to help them get the best yield,” he added.

Meanwhile, Senator Ali Ndume, has asked monarchs in his constituency to reject the tax reform bills which Tinubu sent to the federal lawmakers for consideration and approval.

The Senator in a statement by his media team and made available to journalists in Abuja, stated this at the emir of Askira’s palace.

Ndume told the monarch, Alhaji Mohammed Askirama, that he was in his domain to keep the people and the youths abreast of the present economic hardship bedeviling the country.

He reiterated that the only way out of it was for the people to return to agriculture.

He said, “The economic hardship bedeviling the people is my major reason for rejecting the proposed Tinubu’s tax reform bills.

“I therefore urge emirs in my senatorial district to join hands in rejecting the tax reform bills.”

Ndume had urged his younger constituents to embrace agricultural and productive vacations in order to survive the ongoing food crisis and rising cost of living in the country.

The Senator went to the nine local government areas and the five emirate councils of the southern Borno senatorial district.

Ndume said amid the global economic crunch, the only way out of hunger was for the people to engage in massive farming instead of relying on government and salaries.

He argued that the current minimum wage of N70,000 could not afford 50KG bag of rice being sold for over N100,000, as well as a bag of beans that goes for N200,000.

The federal lawmaker noted that prior to the present administration, a litre of fuel was sold for N200, but had risen to between N970 and N1200 in some parts of the country.

He also lamented that the US dollars exchange rate to Naira, which stood at N600 then was now exchanged for N1600.

Ndume charged the youths who were assembled at the Emir of Gwoza’s palace to take responsibility for security in the area and expose Boko Haram collaborators in their midst.

He noted that the terrorists could not have found their way to carry out attacks in some of the communities in Gwoza and other areas of southern Borno without informants giving information to them.

He urged the youths to deal with such collaborators before handing them over to the security agencies.

The senator commended the youths and residents of Gwoza for their resilience despite the activities of the terrorists in some areas of the local government area.

He assured them that the government was doing everything possible to ensure absolute return of peace in the areas for effective development.

He commended Governor Babagana Zulum, for resettling 11 communities previously displaced by Boko Haram terrorists in the Gwoza Local Government.

He added that the Governor was working hard to resettle the Ashigarsya, Hambagda, Wala, and Yamtake communities of the council.

At the emir of Uba palace,  Ndume urged youths in southern Borno to as well, to embrace education.

He said the certificate obtained could be useful, even while the youths engage in other activities, such as agriculture or vocational skills to augment their livelihoods.

Responding, the emir of Uba, Alhaji Ismaila Manza, thanked God for bringing Senator Ndume safely to his domain and commended him for all the good work he has been doing for the people.

He appealed to the people of his domain to embrace agriculture and business as advised by the senator for prosperity and self-sustainability, and appealed to government to train youths in the area on vocational skills and business.

In his remarks, the emir pledged to support the senator in rejecting the proposed fiscal legislations.

He said, “The tax reform policy is worse than the Boko Haram insurgency. “I commend Senator Ndume for always speaking truth to power and defending the cause of ordinary Nigerians.”

The monarch appealed to the federal government to establish a higher institution, especially a polytechnic in Askira.

He said doing so would bridge the education gap in Askira- Uba, and nearby local government areas.

The monarch also appealed to the federal government to deploy more troops in the area to halt the attacks periodically carried out in the Local Government Area and surroundings by Boko Haram terrorists.