President Bola Tinubu has launched an action plan on the cost of food items nationwide.
The action plan comes after the mass protest staged against the federal government by residents of Minna, Niger State.
The protest in Niger State was focused on the surge in food prices and deteriorating economic conditions.
As part of the plan, a strategic and crucial meeting on the cost of food nationwide was held with more to come in the coming days confirmed the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
Idris emphasised the president’s apprehension regarding the availability and affordability of food commodities nationwide.
According to a presidential source, the meeting saw the president urgently instructing officials to devise strategies to tackle the escalating food prices nationwide with a view to reviewing the cost of food prices nationwide.
Premium Times quoted the minister saying, “The government is very concerned about what Nigerians are going through, especially what happened in Minna yesterday.
“Therefore government is taking some actions to ensure that Nigerians have some relief in terms of the availability of food on the table.”
The protest in Minna, Niger State, was focused on the surge in food prices and deteriorating economic conditions.
The minister announced that the committee meeting will be extended until Thursday, noting that they are currently discussing essential actions to improve the dire situation. He stated that the government knew that individuals were causing food shortages due to the steep prices and currency devaluation.
Idris said: “Government will not fold its arms and see the way Nigerians are suffering in terms of the availability of these food items. So I want to plead with you to understand with the government.
“By the time these meetings are concluded, we’ll be able to issue a definite statement on what the position of government is in this regard.”
High-ranking officials, including the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, Central Bank Governor Yemi Cardoso, Finance Minister Wale Edun, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, joined the gathering.
Also present were Agriculture Minister Abubakar Kyari, Budget and Economic Planning Minister Atiku Bagudu, and Ministers of State for Agriculture Sabi Abdullahi and FCT Mariya Mahmoud.
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