The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has given tips on how Nigerians can become self sufficient in the face of rising food prices.
He confirmed the presidency’s commitment to alleviating the suffering of Nigerians.
The presidential aide also stressed that all well-meaning Nigerians should play prominent roles in leading the country, especially the media.
Onanuga made this statement over the weekend in Abuja while receiving the Association of Corporate Online Publishers (ACOE).
He confirmed that all Nigerians would need to embrace agriculture to combat hunger.
“On the part of the government, I want to tell you that I cherished this meeting; we will do our best. Once I have your contacts, anything we want to send to this group in terms of government information, we will use that contact to pass information to the group. Also, when we get to the festive period, we would know who to approach in terms of talking to the entire group.
“That is the spirit.
“I am here to assist the president. When he started, I wasn’t part of the media team; I was the publicity secretary for the campaign. Later, the president realised something was missing, and that’s when I came on board.
“I will do my best, drawing from over forty years of experience, to help the government communicate its message effectively.
“Currently, things are not working as the president wants, but I can assure you that in the next twelve months, Nigerians will begin to see the results of the government’s efforts for the country’s benefit.
“Though people complain about hardship, I told the BBC that the cost of living crises exists globally. Maybe what is happening in the world is a cycle, and countries will have to go through certain difficulties. We are going through it, but this government is making serious efforts to reduce the hardships faced by our people.
“For example, a lady showed us a basket of tomatoes being sold for ₦4,000, and in Lagos, it is ₦10,000, and in Abuja, it is ₦8,000. I bought a basket of mangoes for ₦1,000 in Ogbomoso, but in Lagos, only three mangoes were sold for ₦1,000. There might be sabotage or profiteering by traders, but the solution is for all of us to engage in agriculture. Let’s start planting something in our yards.
“In 1976, Obasanjo introduced ‘Operation Feed the Nation’, promoting farming. In 1984, when Buhari came in, there were shortages of rice, milk, and sugar, and the government had to open warehouses to make these items available to people.
“This is not the first time we are going through this kind of crisis. The government is investing in agriculture to make things available and affordable, and as individuals, we also have a role to play.
“I will be starting my farm very soon. Everyone should farm. We don’t need to depend on greedy traders who are making us suffer. This is why I am welcoming all of you to my office at the Villa for collaboration. Thank you.”