Nigerian investment banker, Nnaemeka Obiaraeri, attributed the prevailing food shortage and escalating food prices in the country to the persistent insecurity that the government has been unable to effectively address.
During a live broadcast on News Central TV’s Breakfast Central on Tuesday, Obiaraeri emphasised that both peasant and commercial farmers face challenges cultivating their farms due to rampant banditry and other criminal activities across the nation.
He said it was disheartening to witness poverty and protests arising from hunger in a country like Nigeria.
“Nigeria as a country has no business having people in poverty and on the streets protesting because of hunger.
“Insecurity is the root cause of the food crisis that we are having in Nigeria today because both peasant and commercial farmers cannot go to their farms,” he said.
Despite the critical situation, Obiaraeri noted a lack of substantial efforts from the government in addressing the pressing needs of the people.
He decried the absence of visible signs or actions at the federal, state, and local levels to tackle the root causes of the ongoing problems, describing the economic turmoil as a consequence of a breakdown in leadership.
“I have not seen any signs, whether by body language or by actions from the government of the day from Abuja to the 36 states and the 774 local government areas to tackle the root cause of the problem we are having today.
“Nigeria is experiencing economic turmoil due to a total breakdown of leadership,” he said.
The investment banker urged a holistic approach to the issue, highlighting that blame should not solely rest on the federal government, as state governors also bear responsibility. With the farming season underway, he questioned the actions taken by the authorities to support agriculture.
“The blame should not only be on the federal government alone. State governors also have to be blamed for this. It is a farming season, and what actions are they taking?” He questioned.
Obiaraeri also suggested immediate solutions to mitigate food shortage. He said one of the surest ways is for the government to import food from neighboring countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and others as a temporary measure while concurrently implementing urgent measures to enable farmers to resume cultivation.
However, he expressed concern about the lack of effective collaboration and communication between Nigeria and its neighboring countries, citing closed borders as a barrier to importing food for the intended purpose.
He also endorsed the establishment of community policing across all states as a strategic initiative to combat insecurity in the country.
Recently, protests have erupted in different states in Nigeria over hardship occasioned by the rising cost of living.
On Monday, tanker drivers downed their tools over the rising costs of items, and as it stands, fuel scarcity looms in the country.
