Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, made a plea to President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, urging for the borders to be opened to allow food items into the country as a measure to address the ongoing food crisis.
In a statement obtained in Osogbo on the same day, Oba Akanbi also recommended the importation of grains and building materials to foster a competitive market and mitigate inflation.
The monarch emphasized the necessity of border opening for the next six months to combat alleged acts of sabotage by local producers, which are believed to be exacerbating economic challenges.
Oba Akanbi proposed that while the border with Niger Republic should remain closed, steps should be taken to control the prices of essential commodities by halting the export of locally produced items and facilitating importation for a designated period.
In the statement released by his Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, Oluwo stated, “The exorbitant cost of food items is crippling, demanding urgent governmental action.
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All borders, except with Niger Republic, should be reopened to curb the soaring prices of goods. President Ahmed Tinubu should authorize the importation of all food items except GMO products. Specifically, the ban on rice and various grains should be lifted.”
He further addressed concerns about local producers hindering economic progress and urged for measures to encourage competition.
Oluwo suggested restricting the export of local goods while permitting the importation of grains and building materials to stimulate competition and regulate prices.
Regarding alleged economic sabotage, the monarch stressed the importance of timely actions to deter such activities, suggesting that Nigerians holding funds abroad might be incentivized to repatriate them if these measures are implemented.
He proposed keeping the borders open for at least six months to counter inflation and stabilize food prices.
In response to the nation’s food crisis, Tinubu had previously taken action on February 8, 2023, by ordering the immediate release of over 102,000 metric tons of various grains from the National Food Reserve and the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this after the conclusion of a series of meetings of the Special Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Intervention at the Aso Rock Villa.
This intervention aimed to ensure the availability of essential commodities to Nigerians.
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