The Presidency has warned that Nigeria the nation may face famine in January, 2017, if drastic steps are not taken.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, quoted him as making the grim forecast in a radio interview in Kano on Monday, November 14.
Nigeria, which is Africa’s largest producer of cereals and grains, risks food shortage from early next year as huge demands in the global market are targeting the country’s surplus production.
Shehu told Pyramid Radio that the “huge demand for our grains in the global market is creating an excellent environment for the mindless export of Nigerian grains across our borders”.
“And unless this is curtailed, Nigerian markets will be bereft of food by January next year,” he said.
He said the Ministry of Agriculture has advised the President on the need to draw the attention of all Nigerians to the issue which, if not addressed promptly, could lead to a shortage of grains in Nigeria by January.
He said: “Over the past year, providence has blessed Nigeria with a bountiful harvest of grains, more than enough to feed the country and to export to other countries. At present, there is a high demand for grains from Nigeria, from African countries as distant as Libya and Algeria, and from places as far away as Brazil.
He explained that Nigeria at present enjoys a free market situation.
“President Muhammadu Buhari is not in any way opposed to or intent on tampering with that. On the other hand, exporters also have a moral obligation to make their produce available to Nigerians, who live within our country’s borders, to ensure that our citizens have access to food,” Shehu said.
The Presidential aide informed the radio station that the Ministry of Agriculture estimated that no fewer than 500 trucks laden with grain leave Nigerian markets every week, headed for countries outside Nigeria’s borders,The Nation reports..
