15th February, 2024
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
With complaints and even, protests about increasing unaffordability and subsequently hunger across the country, it was not a surprise that the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen Abubakar Kyari was the special guest at the maiden edition of of Federal Government’s Ministerial Press Briefing Series (MPBS).
The MPBS, according to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris was initiated to give the opportunity to journalists engage with government officials on behalf of Nigerians on the activities of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Mohammed who spoke at the maiden edition also attended by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Media to the President and other members of the communication team from the presidency said the MPBS aimed to restore trust and amplify policies and programmes of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
He said the series would also facilitate access by citizens and the global community to credible and timely information.
Mohammed said the MPBS is in line with a mandate of his office to manage and enhance the image and reputation of the people and government of Nigeria through a dynamic public information system.
“I would like to urge you, the members of the press here with us today, or covering this virtually, to please report objectively and responsibly, through the headlines and the narratives that you will be reporting to the world from this Press Briefing.
“Our objective here is to enlighten, inform and educate Nigerians and the world, and to ensure that everyone is carried along through the provision of credible and timely information.
“This is the first in the series, there will be many more of this briefings that will take place, periodically, in the months and years ahead.
“We will continue to strive to refine and to improve our engagement with you, the members of the fourth estate of the realm, and with the Nigerian people,” he said.
The Minister added that the ministry was implementing an Agenda that is based on five pillars, in alignment with the Renewed Hope vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He listed the pillars to include: restoration of trust, amplifying government policies and programmes, reorienting national values, modernising technology and talent and creating enabling environment for the media
In line with the objectives, the Minister of Agriculture rolled out plans of the Tinubu administration to tackle the rising prices of food in the country. Specifically, the Minister amplified on efforts of the directive of the President to crash food prices through the release of about 42,000MT of maize, millet and other commodities from the national strategic reserves as was announced after a meeting of the Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Intervention last week.
He also spoke on ongoing efforts to support farmers across the country to produce more food through various interventions and support mechanisms.
For one, Kyari revealed that in line with that directive of the President, 42,000 metric tonnes of grains approved by President Tinubu will be released to poor Nigerians at no cost.
He added that the the Department of State Services and the National Emergency Management Agency will be engaged in the distribution process to ensure that the commodities get to the intended beneficiaries.
“We’ve met with NEMA and DSS to give us the index. These are where to gather intelligence reports on where it is needed the most. And we are going to look at those indices.”
He maintained that the FG would ensure that only those who need the grains benefit from the exercise and that the state governors had been put on notice about this development.
In addition, the Minister added that Rice Millers Association of Nigeria had committed to releasing about 60,000MT of rice to the markets.
“The first one is that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has been directed to release about 42,000MT of maize, millet, garri, and other commodities in their strategic reserve so that these items will be made available to Nigerians; 42,000MT immediately.
“The second one is that we have held meetings with the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria. Those who are responsible for producing this rice and we have asked them to open up their stores.
“They’ve told us that they can guarantee about 60,000 metric tons of rice. They will make that available to Nigerians; to bring out to the market to make food available,” the information minister said.
The Minister also revealed that state governors will be involved to identify beneficiaries of its intended interventions aimed at improving food production in the country to ensure that they get to the real farmers.
He said this was necessary to weed out those he described as as ‘political farmers’ in the from hijacking the interventions
Kyari also revealed that farmer will be supported to cultivate a total of 120,000 hectares of land for wheat while 150,000 farmers are expected to cultivate rice in many parts of the country within the year.