The Senate President of Nigeria, Senator Godswill Akpabio, addressed the pressing issue of food insecurity and market exploitation of consumables during a Senate session. While contributing to a motion raised by Senator Sunday Karimi, Senator Akpabio announced significant measures aimed at addressing agricultural challenges across the country. He revealed that all state governors, regardless of their political affiliation, would receive a substantial supply of fertilizer to aid in agricultural productivity.
According to Premium Times, Senator Akpabio disclosed that this initiative was communicated by the Senate Committee Chairman on Agriculture. Each state’s governor will receive at least sixty trucks of fertilizer, demonstrating a nationwide effort to boost food production. To ensure equitable distribution, senators will receive two trucks of fertilizer, equating to 1,200 bags, and members of the House of Representatives will receive one truck, or 600 bags. This distribution plan is intended to allow senators and representatives to support their constituents effectively.
Senator Akpabio emphasized that this information was backed by the Deputy Senate President and stressed the importance of non-partisan support for agricultural development. The initiative aims to mitigate the food insecurity problem by providing the necessary resources for enhanced agricultural output. By ensuring that every state benefits from this program, the Senate seeks to foster a more resilient and self-sufficient agricultural sector.
In a related development, Senator Salihu Mustapha, representing Kwara State Central Senatorial District, provided further insights into the logistical challenges faced in the delivery of the fertilizers. He explained that delays were encountered due to security concerns raised by the National Security Adviser (NSA). The movement of fertilizer trucks was halted to address these security implications, underscoring the importance of ensuring safe and secure distribution.
Senator Mustapha reassured the Senate that these issues were being resolved and that the NSA’s office was actively working to clear the trucks for delivery. He projected that once clearance was obtained, all states would receive their allocated fertilizer supplies by the upcoming weekend. This assurance aimed to alleviate any concerns regarding the timely distribution of agricultural inputs. The comprehensive approach outlined by Senators Akpabio and Mustapha reflects a concerted effort by the Nigerian government to tackle food insecurity through strategic resource allocation.
Hear him: “This is from the Senate Committee Chairman on Agriculture, not from Senator Akpabio, that irrespective of political party, each state governor will get at least 60 trucks, and the reason they are giving the senators two trucks is because some of the senators and the House of Rep members are not in the same party. For some of you, it is important that you also have something to share with your constituents. Your own will be two trucks -1,200 (bags of fertilizers), and the House of Reps members will be one truck – 600 (bags of fertilizers). This information is from the Senate Committee on Agriculture chairman and then backed up by the deputy senate president.”….Seë_Morë