The president, Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday directed the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh to release a total of 10,000 tons of grant from the National Strategic Grains Reserve for National distribution.
This directive comes as a means to soften the blow of economic hardship the country is faced with.
According to the Presidency, the release of the Grains also is a means of stemming the astronomically increasing price of goods and seeming exploitation within the market system.
The directive also ordered the Minster of Agriculture “to ensure that all the able-bodied men and women in IDP camps be assisted to return to farming immediately.”
The directive by the president was contained in a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant to the president on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.
The statement read in part:
“The Presidency however asserts that the devastation of the economy was caused by the Boko Haram insurgency, corruption.and the lack of planning by the past administrations and one that should not be blamed on the Change Agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“The Presidency firmly rejects the insinuations that poverty and lack are products of the Change mantra.
“This should be dismissed as an erroneous and misplaced opposition criticism. The President understands the pain and the cries of the citizens of this country and he is spending sleepless nights over how he can make life better for everyone.
“Contrary to assertions by a faction of the opposition Conference of Nigerian Political Parties,CNPP, the President’s energy and focus are on changing the life of Nigerians, with a view to making it better than he met it.
“Change is a process. Change does not happen overnight. Change can be inconvenient. Change sometimes comes with pain. Over the past year, the government has been working night and day to deliver on its promise of change to Nigerians, and the painful process is still ongoing.
“This is work in progress. As life gradually returns to normal in much of the country and the northeast in particular, agriculture will resume and traders from neighbouring African countries will once again feel safe to do business with us–yet another boost for our economy.
“But it Is only when we appreciate where we are coming that we will grasp the full meaning and essence of what the ongoing journey entails.
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