Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the hunger and starvation affecting millions of Nigerians.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, Oyintiloye emphasized the dire state of food insecurity in the country.
“Nigerians are hungry and living below the poverty line,” Oyintiloye said.
He highlighted that many households are struggling to afford three square meals a day due to the harsh economic conditions. He urged the President to pay attention to the United Nations’ prediction that 82 million Nigerians, about 64% of the population, could face hunger by 2030.
The APC chieftain pointed out the alarming rise in food prices, referencing the National Bureau of Statistics data, which shows the food inflation rate reaching a record high of 40.66% in May.
“Common household food items are becoming unaffordable for the masses due to the hike in prices,” he noted.
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Despite Nigerians working hard under challenging conditions, Oyintiloye said their earnings are insufficient to sustain their families due to inflation. He criticized the government’s over-dependence on crude oil revenue sharing and the pervasive corruption hindering economic productivity.
“Successive governments have failed to drive the economy productively despite our natural and human resources,” he remarked.
While acknowledging President Tinubu’s efforts through various intervention programs, Oyintiloye argued that these measures have not significantly alleviated the situation.
“The prices of basic household food items such as rice, beans, garri, and spaghetti are on the high side and unaffordable for many,” he said.
He urged the President to declare a state of emergency on hunger, starvation, and poverty, stressing that “hunger is a threat to national peace.”
Oyintiloye also called for the implementation of price control mechanisms to prevent traders from exploiting buyers.
“Many traders are taking undue advantage of the economy to exploit buyers. There is an urgent need to check their excesses,” he stated.
To address the food crisis, Oyintiloye suggested reopening the Benin Republic border to allow food imports. He also highlighted the need to address issues like inadequate farm inputs and insecurity to enable farmers to cultivate their land.
“Good incentives should be provided to agriculture to attract the younger generation,” he added.
Oyintiloye appealed to Nigerians to support President Tinubu.
“With all the various ongoing economic intervention programs, the country will rise again,” he assured.