Nigerians Are Hungry- APC Chieftain, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye To Tinubu

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), food inflation in Nigeria skyrocketed to a record high of 40.66 percent in May 2024, surpassing the previous month’s increase of 40.53 percent.
With the masses in disadvantage,
Mr. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and member of the defunct 2023 Presidential Campaign Council appealed to President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the country’s high cost of living including food items, transportation, accommodation, clothing amongst other basic amenities frustrating Nigerians.

Mr. Oyintiloye in Osogbo, expressed concern that Nigerians were hungry and living below the poverty line.
He highlighted the doom and perplexity many citizens are confronted with on where their next meal will come from due to extreme economic climate.

He emphasized the need for President Tinubu to heed United Nations’ prediction that 82 million Nigerians, approximately 64 percent of the country’s population might face hunger by 2030 if appropriate mechanisms aren’t in place.

The South-West politician opined that diversification of the economy is surest path to navigating the daunting situation in Nigeria against current status quo of overdependence on crude oil allocations to the various tier of government.

While acknowledging President Tinubu’s efforts to curb the menace, he sued for more intervention programs as the current seems inadequate in ameliorating sufferings in the country.

Recall that after removal of fuel subsidy with resultant increase in commodities, the Federal Government rolled out intervention programs aimed at addressing growing concerns.
These includes,
substantial Public Intervention Fund (PIF), earmarking N200 billion to aid growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and manufacturers, a target to double the percentage of employment in agriculture to about 70%, release of fertilizers and grains to farmers and households as immediate intervention.
Other are, the federal government signing of an agreement with the Brazilian Government and German Deutsch Bank Group as financiers of a facility of 995 million euros for the Green Imperative Programme to provide mechanization hubs across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria when implemented, the students loan amongst others.

However, it is to be noted that the poverty index in Nigeria remains alarming calling for all hands on deck with renewed commitment to change the narrative.