Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, discloses Tinubu’s directive on food price reduction at a Senate press corps workshop in Abuja.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Federal Executive Council committee to take immediate steps toward reducing food prices across the country.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, disclosed this while speaking on Wednesday in Abuja, during a one-day capacity-building workshop for journalists covering the Senate.
Senator Abdullahi explained that the directive includes creating safe passage routes for agricultural produce and commodities nationwide.
“In addressing the high cost of transporting farm produce, I can say on good authority that the President has given a marching order, with a Federal Executive Council committee already handling it,” Abdullahi said.
“The goal is to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across our various routes in the country.”
The Minister noted that transportation costs significantly affect food prices, stressing that easing logistics will help deliver Tinubu’s vision of food sovereignty.
“We are aware that there are routes through which commodities are transported before they reach the market. If you know the amount of money spent along those routes, you will understand why food becomes expensive at the point of delivery,” he stated.
Vision for Food Sovereignty
Senator Abdullahi explained that food sovereignty, as envisioned by President Tinubu, encompasses food availability, accessibility, affordability, and sustainability with the right nutritional content.
He also announced upcoming programmes to support the vision, including the Farmer Soil Health Scheme and a revamped cooperative reform initiative.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a tool for resource mobilization, economic activity generation, and improving livelihoods. We are reforming this sector to make it more democratic, productive, and impactful,” the Minister said.
Workshop Highlights
The workshop, themed “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges, and Responsibilities”, also featured contributions from the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu; Senator Ita Solomon Enang; and the Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Sulaiman.
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