President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to rehabilitate the National Food Reserve Agency and work with stakeholders to make food available for all.
The president in a broadcast to mark this year’s independent anniversary yesterday, ascribed scarcity to artificial shortages created by middlemen who have been buying and hoarding food for profiteering.
He said to enhance food production, his administration had completed several new dams and was in the process of rehabilitating several River Basin Development Authorities to enhance ground water supply for rain-fed agriculture as well as surface water for irrigation agriculture.
He added that the water projects which were completed between 2015 and 2020 had improved Nigerian’s access to potable water to 71% between 2015 and 2020, saying additional 12.5 million Nigerians now have direct access to potable water.
“I am hereby directing the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to rehabilitate the National Food Reserve Agency and also work with security agencies, the Nigerian Commodity Exchange and the National Assembly to find a lasting solution to these disruptive and unpatriotic hoarding activities,” he said.