The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, has called on Nigerians to embrace subsistence farming to address the challenge of the rising cost of foods.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, made the call at a meeting with a group of online editors, under the aegis of the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE) in Abuja, according to a statement made available to journalists by ACOE’s Chairman, Mr. Martins Odiete, in Abuja.
While acknowledging that things were not working in the country as President Bola Tinubu had wanted, Onanuga disclosed that Nigerians would begin to see the results of the government’s efforts in the next 12 months.
“In 1976, former President Olusegun Obasanjo introduced ‘Operation Feed the Nation,’ promoting farming.
“In 1984, when former President Muhammadu 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,” he said.
Onanuga acknowledged that things were not working as President Bola Tinubu wanted.
He, however, assured 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 cost-of-living crises exist 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,” he said.
Onanuga assured the association of a robust relationship towards dissemination of news in line with global best practices.
Responding, Odiete stressed the importance of partnership with the presidential media team to feed Nigerians with essential information from their government.
Ikechukwu Aleke
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