Buni’s Intervention Amid Soaring Food Prices

In recent times, Nigeria as a country is grappling with the hike in the prices of foodstuff posing grave concern for both consumers and policymakers. The perturbing situation has been attributed to a multiple of factors including the effects and aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic.

The repercussions of soaring food prices have disproportionately impacted on the lives of the vulnerable populations who are already grappling with other life hardships, including economics, among others. Essential food stuff in Nigeria such as rice, maize, sorghum, millets, beans, soya beans and sesame have witnessed a sharp increase in prices exacerbating food insecurity and widening the gap on have and underclasses.

It is imperative therefore, to say that a responsible government would always be on the lookout to arrest the situation. After all, a poor man needs nothing more than the affordable prices of food items.

In response to these pressing issues, the federal government and indeed many governors resolved to come up with measures and interventions geared towards mitigating the adverse effects of escalating prices of food. Many states have different approaches with a variety of strategies including subsidies, palliatives and investment in agriculture among others.

The Yobe State government under the able leadership of governor Mai Mala Buni also deployed a range of policy instruments to address the immediate, medium and long-term challenges posed by the soaring food prices. Government has for long been reaching out to large numbers of vulnerable people with food and non-food items as palliatives through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) among other possible means.

Being a state where over 80% of its population engage in agrarian activities, Yobe State is also blessed with some of the major grain markets in northern Nigeria notable among which are the weekly markets of Potiskum, Buni-Yadi, Damaturu, Ngelzarma, Machina, Ngalda, Geidam, Babbangida and Dawasa where buyers from across the country and even beyond patronise grains such as maize, sorghum, millets, beans, soya beans and sesame to mention but just a few are being traded in large quantities.

Despite the number of markets and large quantity of grains in the state, the prices of foodstuff have from December 2023 to early January been increasing with the hike in prices of foodstuff risen to 100 percent. For example, the price of 100kg of maize that was hitherto sold at the cost of N25, 000 between October to November 2023, rose to a record price of over 60, 000 across most of the major grain markets in the state

To quell the rise in the prices, the Buni administration has on Saturday 10 February, 2024, convened an emergency meeting on Food Security in Damaturu, Yobe State capital with all the relevant stakeholders ranging from grain dealers and sellers, state and local government officials, traditional rulers and security operatives where a five point communiqué was issued, signed and read by the Commissioner of Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Hon Abdullahi Bego.

The communiqués reads, “Concerned with the prevailing rise in the prices of grains and other essential commodities across the state and the country, His Excellency the Executive Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON (Chiroman Gujba) convened an emergency meeting to deliberate on the issue today Saturday 10th February, 2024.

“The state government notes and decries the practice of hoarding grains and other essential commodities in the state with a view to creating artificial scarcity and hiking the prices of such grains and other essential commodities.

“The meeting deliberated extensively on the prevailing cost of living crisis across the state and the country and came up with the following measures; to stem the tide of food scarcity and high cost of grains and other food items resulting from bulk purchases from Yobe’s grain markets by people who take those grains outside our nation’s borders, the State Government has liaised with security agencies to discourage practices.

“The State Government has also taken measures to stop the hoarding of grains and other essential commodities by businessmen and middlemen. To this end, bulk purchase of grains from Yobe’s markets will be closely monitored by security agencies to prevent and stop hoarding. The purchase and transportation of large quantities of grains outside the state will be similarly monitored to ensure that speculators and hoarders do not take advantage of Yobe’s markets to cause artificial scarcity and deepen food insecurity in the country.

“The Yobe State Government will roll out concrete measures very soon to cushion the effects of the rising cost of foodstuff and other essential commodities for people across the state.

“A broad meeting of stakeholders will be similarly convened immediately in each local government area to further discuss the food security situation in the respective local government councils in order to generate workable ideas for how to address the challenges.

“His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni calls on people across the state to continue to offer prayers and supplications for Almighty Allah’s intervention on the current challenges in the country.”

The measures and interventions by Buni administration especially on hoarding and bulk purchase out of the state to cause hardship yielded positive results as markets from across the state responded with encouraging drop in the prices weekly market of Ngelzarma of Fune local government and Babbangida, the headquarters of Tarmuwa local government among other areas that operate on Saturday. The same story happened a day after  precisely on 11th February, 2024 where most Sunday weekly markets witnessed a sharp drop in the prices of grains.

A grain buyer in Buni-Yadi, Mallam Bawa while speaking on the drop said, “It is true that prices of foodstuff witnessed sharp drop on the first and second week of February, 2024 with a 100kg of bag of beans that were hitherto sold at the cost of N105, 000 dropped to N80, 000 to N85, 000 while maize which cost over N60, 000 were now sold at the cost of N53, 000 to N55, 000.

“I am not an economist but I believe government measures may be the reason though, they should also create measures that will sustain the drop by releasing more grains from their strategic stores.”

Also, a grain retailer, Suleiman Ali affirmed that he was at Potiskum, Dawasa, Machina and Babbangida weekly markets at the week of the government pronouncement on the hike on the prices of food stuff but the policy of monitoring of hoarding of grains by the security agencies among other measure has played a significant role in controlling the increase.

“As someone who rely on buying and selling of grains to earn a living, i was at Potiskum, Dawasa, Machina and Babbangida during the pronouncement by government but, to our surprise most markets responded though,  the same happened in Kano at that particular week hence it may not be unconnected with the efforts of governments across all levels.”

To further consolidate the successes, the governor announced the constitution of a 24 man committee on food security under the chairmanship of his deputy Hon Idi Barde Gubana (Wazirin Fune) with a view to quash the unprecedented rise in the prices of the food stuff and ensure food security in the state.

A statement issued by the Press Secretary of the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Hussaini Mai Suleh shortly after the inauguration of the committee said, “It may be recall that the Nation is undergoing a serious food scarcity as a result of the economic meltdown which eventually is leading to escalation of food prices. The State Government is very much worried and is taking a bold step to squarely address the issue by ensuring the availability and affordability of food staff across the state.”

The Governor represented by his deputy Hon Idi Barde Gubana stated that the measure became imperative, as some unscrupulous elements are using the situation to cause additional hardship. He further explained that the government cannot fold its arms to allow such negative development to continue unchecked, urging the committee members to raise their zeal in conducting the assignment as the task given to them has enormous moral responsibility to fulfill.

The terms of reference of the committee include “Coordinate with security agencies to halt export of grains outside the country and address the problem of hoarding of grains within the state. The Sale of procured grains to the public at the subsidized price.

“Ensure establishment of similar committees at the local government levels to address the problem of food insecurity in the state. Advise and give suggestions to the government or any other measures that are necessary to address the problem of food insecurity in the state.”

Members of the committee are the Deputy Governor chairman, commissioner Ministry of Agriculture member, commissioner Humanitarian Affairs member, commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affars member, commissioner of Finance member, commissioner Environment member, commissioner of Justice member, Ag Head of service member, chief of staff to the Governor member, Adviser on security matters member, commissioner of police, commandant sector 2 Nigeria Army Damaturu member, commandant Civil defense member, Director security services member, Nigeria Immigration services member, Nigeria Customs service, ALGON Chairman member, chairman Yobe state council of chiefs Member, Civil society organizations member, chairman NLC member, chairman TUC, representative of grains dealers union member, Permanent Secretary political affairs Co- Secretary, Secretary to the state government, Secretary.

Buni’s intervention on food security in Yobe therefore, has not only helped in mitigating the impact of pressing challenges posed by the increase in the prices of foodstuff but, laid a foundation for a sustainable collaborative and community resilience. Through collaborative efforts and innovative strategies of different stakeholders, the initiative showcases the power of proactive governance in mitigating food insecurity challenges and fostering long-term prosperity for the people of Yobe State.

 

– Yawale is the head of Information, Yobe State Ministry of Home Affairs, Information and Culture