President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged governors to address the issues of rising food costs and insecurity in their respective states, emphasizing measures such as recruiting more police, establishing state police.
Tinubu gave this charge when he, alongside Vice President Kashim Shettima, met with the 36 state governors and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday.
The President also called on the governors to carry out steps to boost local food production, prevent hoarding, clear salary arrears and create economic opportunities for the youth.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, added in a statement that the meeting agreed on common ground to address some of the challenges currently facing the country, especially the rising cost of food and insecurity.
Onanuga said that after extensive deliberations, the President and the governors agreed to work together to solve the problems and tackle the economic pressure being faced by the citizens.
“The following are the key takeaways from what the President told the Governors to do: On addressing insecurity, which is also affecting farming and food production, President Tinubu made 3 key pronouncements,” Onanuga said.
“More police personnel to be recruited to strengthen the force. Secondly, President Tinubu informed the governors that the Federal Government will work with them and the National Assembly towards putting in place a mechanism that will engender state police instead of the vigilantes that are being used in some states.
“Thirdly, the President charged the governors to strengthen their Forest Rangers and arm them to keep all the forest safe from criminals.
“Also, the modalities for State Police and addressing security issues are to be discussed further at National Economic Council.”
On the rising cost of food, Onanuga said that the President directed that the State Governments and Federal government should collaborate to increase local food production.
The President advised against the idea of food importation and price control when local food producers should be encouraged to produce more food.
Tinubu further advised the governors to follow the example of Kano State in dealing with the hoarding of food for profiteering by commodity merchants.
He also directed the Inspector-General of Police, National Security Adviser (NSA), and the Department of State Services (DSS) to monitor warehouses hoarding food items across the country and stop profiteering by merchants.
President Tinubu charged the governors to pay attention to livestock development in their states and increase production most especially poultry and fishing products.
“The President pleaded with Governors to ensure all salary arrears to workers, gratuities to workers and pensioners are cleared as a way to put money into the hands of the people since states are now getting more monthly FAAC revenue,” Onanuga stated.
“Spend the money, don’t spend the people, he urged the governors, while he also implored them to create more economic opportunities for the youth in their states to keep them more productively engaged.”
