Address food inflation, naira depreciation, rising insecurity now, govs tell FG

THE 36 state governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have called on the Federal Government to address the food inflation, naira depreciation and rising insecurity in the country.

The resolution was contained in a communique issued at the end of the forum’s emergency virtual meeting chaired by NGF Chairman, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State.

The governors after receiving a briefing by National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the representative of the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS), deliberated on the security situation and food stability in the country.

The governors hitherto pledged support towards improved enforcement efforts by reviewing the extant criminal justice laws in the states to ensure quick dispensation of justice on perpetrators of insecurity in the states; supporting the office of the NSA in the states to enhance the nature and quality of intelligence.

At the end of the meeting, the governors unanimously underlined “the need to address the connection between food inflation, naira depreciation and rising insecurity across parts of the country from a systemic perspective and called for urgent discussions with and synergy amongst stakeholders in improving the situation in the shortest possible time.”

The governors during the meeting unanimously resolved to reduce foreign exchange demand by use of moral suasion to reduce dependence on foreign exchange, imported goods and services.

They also underscored the need to improve foreign exchange supply by easing commodity export requirements to encourage exportation and supply of foreign exchange; curbing illegal export of solid minerals, and increasing crude oil production to earn more foreign exchange.

The governors further pledged support towards improved enforcement efforts by reviewing the extant criminal justice laws in the states to ensure quick dispensation of justice on perpetrators of insecurity in the states; supporting the office of the NSA in the states to enhance the nature and quality of intelligence.

The governors also expressed commitment to deploying emergency food interventions, including incentivising food production, release of food items from strategic food reserves and collaboration with food millers and commodity traders in their various states to boost food availability as an immediate short-term action.