The National Economic Council (NEC) has directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately distribute foodstuffs across the country within a one- or two-week time frame to bring down the price of food items.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State made this known at a press conference held to brief newsmen on the outcome of the NEC meeting, chaired by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Recall that President Tinubu had earlier declared a state of emergency on food security while giving a directive that all matters pertaining to food and water availability and affordability, as essential livelihood items, be included within the purview of the National Security Council.
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Mohammed emphasized the significance of food security in the council’s deliberations while disclosing that a robust agreement was made at the meeting to involve both states and Local Governments in the distribution exercise.
According to him, NEMA would collaborate with the corresponding institutions in the states and Local Governments, adding that civil society organizations (CSOs), Community-Based organizations, and everybody else would be involved to ensure transparency in the distribution of the grains.
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“Across the sectors of the economy, public and civil servants, and even farmers, will benefit maximally. Again, as I said, NEMA has lots of stock, which it will also bring out so that this particular aspect of food security can cushion the effect of the subsidy removal on all Nigerians.
“This will be done within one or two weeks. In terms of the quantity of the grains that will be distributed, I just learned from the acting CBN Governor that they have more than 2,52,00 metric tons of grains and an almost equivalent number of bags of fertilizer that will be distributed within the time frame.
