…Kicks off Ministerial press briefing series

…As Ogun State launches N5bn intervention fund to tackle food inflation

In a bid to mitigate the harsh realities of food inflation,  the Federal Government (FG) has revealed that it will be distributing 42,000 metric tonnes of grains to Nigerians and also cultivating 120,000 hectares of lands.

The FG made this known at the inaugural Ministerial Press briefing series held in Abuja yesterday.

Speaking at the press briefing, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, announced the decision that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was concerned about the high food prices in the country.

He said further that modalities for the grains to be released to needy Nigerians from different locations in the country were being worked out with the Department of State Security Services and the National Emergency Management Agency so as to make the process seamless and successful.

Beyond distributing grains to Nigerians to stem the rising wave of hunger in the land, Kyari said that the ministry had also adopted various measures to produce more food so that the country would no longer experience food shortage and high prices.

Kyari also revealed that the Federal Government is set to involve governors of the 36 states in identifying real farmers who would be benefiting directly from some interventions to enable them to produce more food.

The Minister explained that the involvement of the governor was necessitated by the discovery of those he described as ‘political farmers’ in the farmers’ database being kept by the ministry, a development he said was unhelpful in the food production value chain.

Kyari said that in a bid to also make food readily available to Nigerians a total of 120,000 hectares of land is to be cultivated with wheat while 150,000 farmers are expected to cultivate rice in many parts of the country within the year.

The Minister said that food security was partially challenged by many factors including flooding and insecurity while the population of Nigeria has also been increasing rapidly.

Also speaking, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, explained that the forum was deliberately created to afford the ministers and the media the opportunity to interact so as to understand what the Tinubu administration was doing to actualise the Renewed Hope agenda.

He said the purpose of the briefing was to clearly explain to Nigerians the five pillars of the agenda being implemented by the ministry which are to restore trust, amplify policies and programmes, reorient national values, modernise technology and talent and to create an enabling environment for the media to operate.

“The Ministerial Press Briefing Series (MPBS) that we are kicking off today, are in line with our ‘Restore Trust’ and ‘Amplify Policies and Programmes’ pillars. This is a chance for you, the distinguished members of the press, to engage with senior officials of the Federal Government, on behalf of the good people of Nigeria.

“This is the first in the series, there will be many more of these 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.

“You will hear first-hand about what the Federal Government is doing, policies, programs, targets and objectives, and you will be able to ask questions and receive relevant clarifications. We have also made efforts to ensure that this Briefing Series receives the widest possible coverage, through traditional and digital platforms,” the minister explained.

According to Idris, “The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation (FMINO) has a mandate to manage and enhance the image and reputation of the people and government of Nigeria through a dynamic public information system that facilitates access by citizens and the global community to credible and timely information.

“To this end, at the Ministry, we have crafted and are implementing an Agenda that is based on the following five (5) pillars, in alignment with the Renewed Hope vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Pillar 1 is RESTORE TRUST: We are determined to restore trust, confidence and credibility to public communications, by engaging in a timely, proactive and consistent fashion with all our stakeholders, across government, the media, private sector and international community, deploying all available platforms and media.

“Pillar 2, closely tied to Pillar 1, is AMPLIFY POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES: We are highlighting and amplifying the policies, programs and achievements of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration, and the positive impact of these policies and programs in the lives of the Nigerian people. We are also working to showcase inspiring stories and narratives from and about this blessed and beautiful country that we call home.

“Pillar 3 is REORIENT NATIONAL VALUES: We are implementing a series of national campaigns to achieve a reorientation of attitudes, values and ethics in Nigeria. We have already started work in this regard, and very soon we will launch Nigeria’s new National Values Charter, which will outline the rights and responsibilities that government and citizens have towards each other, and form the foundation for these national reorientation campaigns.

“Pillar 4 is MODERNISE TECHNOLOGY & TALENT: We are modernizing and upgrading the Federal Government’s Information and Communications Systems and Personnel, ensuring they are relevant and fit-for-purpose for the 21st century.

“Pillar 5 is CREATE AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE MEDIA: We are creating an enabling environment for all players and stakeholders in the media and information ecosystem: journalists, publishers, proprietors, etc.; through the implementation of favorable policies and incentives,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has announced a N5 billion intervention fund to cushion the effect of rising cost of living and inflation in the State.

Addressing a press conference held at the Olusegun Osoba Press Centre, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, governor Abiodun said the fund would cover education, health, workers’ deduction and food palliative.

He said, “As our administration acknowledges the concerns raised by many of our citizens regarding the rising food prices and shortages, coupled with the depreciation of the Naira, we identify with you and are taking proactive measures to alleviate the impact of these challenges to guarantee the welfare, well-being and wellness of our citizens in this difficult time.

“In this direction and through targeted interventions, we aim to address these challenges by implementing a series of phased initiatives aimed at alleviating these burdens on all our citizens.

“The State has taken the following steps: Education Sector: Providing a minimum of 5 exercise books for all 850,000 students in our public primary and secondary schools.

“We are providing a one-time N10,000 education support grant for at least 100,000 pupils in our public primary and secondary schools in the state. Providing all 27,600 indigent students in tertiary institutions nationwide with an education grant of N50,000 each.

He said his administration would provide insurance health cover for over 70,000 beneficiaries to include pregnant women, children, the elderly, market women and other members of the informal sector while pregnant women, under the Ibidero Scheme would be providing free prenatal care, an additional N5,000 per birth and free post-natal care in the State Hospitals and Primary Health Care Centers across the State.

Governor Abiodun stated that provision would be made for food palliatives to include rice and other food items for about 300,000 households across the State.

“The State Government will commence to offset the backlog of inherited deductions. To this end, we are immediately committing N500 million monthly payment towards outstanding deductions. It is noteworthy that we have continued to pay N10,000 transport allowance to all civil servants for the last 8 months.

“This brings our total immediate interventions as a responsible State Government to about N5 billion across all sectors of the State economy,” the governor submitted.

He noted that his administration would not be insensitive to the challenges being faced by the citizens, appreciating the people for their perseverance, patience and understanding.

“Let me assure you that the present economic situation is just a transient phase that will soon pass. Whatever we experience now are just necessary sacrifices that we have to make towards ensuring a greater tomorrow.

“In a special way, we extend our appreciation to the President and Commander-In-Chief of Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for his continuous efforts in navigating the complexities of our nation’s economic landscape.

“His dedication to steering the ship through turbulent times has not gone unnoticed,” he concluded.