“Declare State of Emergency In Food Production” PAPSD Urges President Tinubu

Hours after at least 60 individuals lost their lives due to stampedes during food distribution in various regions of the nation, the Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development (PAPSD) have called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in this area and allocate sufficient resources for agriculture in the 2025 budget proposal.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Executive Director of the civil society organization (CSO), Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, expressed that “With over 36 million hectares of cultivable land in Nigeria, there should not be issues of food scarcity, hunger, starvation, and disease.”

“Governments at every level need to commit to enhancing agriculture, tackling poverty, unemployment, and insecurity in line with Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which asserts that the security and welfare of the populace must be the primary focus of government.”

“Regrettably, the fatalities from the food distribution stampedes have highlighted to the world the severe hunger and starvation present in the country.”

It has become imperative for various governments to swiftly tackle food insecurity within the nation and improve the living standards of citizens.”

Last week, President Bola Tinubu suggested a ₦826.5 billion budget allocation for agriculture in the proposed 2025 budget.

This proposed allocation represents an increase of over 100 percent from ₦362.94 billion in 2024 and ₦228.4 billion in 2023.

While presenting the budget at the National Assembly, Tinubu stated that a crucial factor to foster a positive economic outlook next year will be substantial harvests, supported by improved security and a decrease in dependency on food imports.

“Food security is non-negotiable. In this context, we are taking decisive actions to ensure that every Nigerian can access food comfortably, and no citizen will have to go to sleep hungry,” he remarked.

The Director General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, elaborated further, saying, “To guarantee food sufficiency and lessen reliance on imports, ₦826.5 billion has been allocated for agricultural mechanization, irrigation initiatives, and value-chain enhancement.

“This effort will not only increase food production but also aid in economic diversification and rural development.”

However, just days following the government’s announcement, over 60 individuals tragically lost their lives in stampedes that occurred during food distribution in Ibadan, Abuja, and Okija in Anambra State.

While expressing condolences to the bereaved families, PAPSD urged governments at all levels to urgently improve social amenities, particularly access roads to facilitate the efficient transport of farm products throughout the nation, and to significantly lower inflation, which it reported as being at 34.6%, “the highest in three decades.”

The statement went on, “We share in the sorrow of the families who have lost loved ones at the distribution sites and pray for the swift recovery of the injured.

“We are disheartened by these national tragedies during this festive season and call on security personnel to be proactive in ensuring public safety and order at palliative distribution centers.”

“No doubt the organizers of these welfare distributions had good intentions to touch the lives of the less privileged; the tragedies that followed make it imperative that security agents must be notified on time to ensure seamless distributions and forestall recurrence.

“Government should also recruit extension workers, provide incentives to farmers, particularly affordable, accessible, and sustainable credit schemes for small, medium, and large-scale farmers to boost agriculture. The need for modern machinery for increased productivity cannot be overemphasized.

As we approach the new year, it is time to take governance seriously and provide the much-needed dividends of democracy to assuage the sufferings of citizens.

Together, we will make Nigeria great again.”