How to cushion impact of petrol subsidy removal, by SVNED MD

Managing Director, Silicon Valley Nigerian Economic Development (SVNED), Chief Aminat Temitope Ajayi, has said food security subsidy is imperative to cushioning current harsh impact of the removal of petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu.

She also stressed the importance of tapping into the great agricultural potential of Nigeria to address food insecurity or hunger, unemployment, inflation, revenue generation for government, and development of small and medium enterprises.

In an interview with journalists, yesterday, she applauded the Federal Government for declaring a state of emergency on food security to stem food inflation in the country.

Ajayi said it was heartwarming that the Federal Government indicated commitment to agriculture in a recent media briefing by Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake.

The SVNED boss said her organisation had already keyed into the food security programme of the government through partnership with Arewa farmers, NIRSAL Microfinance Bank, and other organisations.

She said SVNED has trained farmers and entrepreneurs, and appealed to the Federal Government to help them deploy the knowledge in boosting food production.

Ajayi, who is the founder and chief executive officer of Nigerian American Agricultural Empowerment Programme (NAAEP), commended Tinubu. She said in her commitment to agricultural development, she introduced the Arewa initiative to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, who is also the co-chairman of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN). She said the Ooni accepted to be one of the patrons of the programme.

She disclosed that the initiative was also brought before the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, who accepted to be chairman of the group.

Ajayi said: “The solution to food subsidy is national food security subsidy. I thank God that SVNED has partnered with all Arewa farmers in Nigeria to support food security and food subsidy. We have applied on their behalf for intervention loan for agriculture and small cottage industries. The application has already been submitted, waiting for approval. NIRSAL has already approved SVNED as a registered Entrepreneurship Development Institution (EDI) to facilitate training and processing.”