David Owaboye, Initiative for Global Change Inc., 8 Kushimo Street, Aguda,
Surulere, Lagos State, Igclive2@gmail.com, +23408332521: I have watched and listened to several interviews of the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, on why the agriculture sector has not performed well since this present administration came into power. He made a statement concerning the high cost of food produce and that the reason was because of high cost of transport due to bad roads and hoodlums that disturb transporters on the road when transporting those goods.
For me, such an answer sounds bizarre because, if I may ask, based on his reply, were there no hoodlums and high cost of transport on the road when we bought food items at cheaper rates before now? I think the minister has no facts to tell Nigerians than to seek for solution in order to revive the masses
Recently, he said we had to start exporting yam because of the excess yam we have instead wasting them. It’s a good thing to export yam to boost our foreign exchange earning but we must critically look into the matter so as not to shoot ourselves on the foot. You don’t need to be told that the excess yam we have now is due to the recession and hardship in the country, and due to the high cost of food items and level of hunger and suffering in the country. As a result, people cannot afford to buy a tuber of yam for about a thousand naira and more.
We should avoid creating more hardship for Nigerians. We all know that before now, at least one big yam sold for between N500 and N1000. Now, we buy for between N700 and N2,500 depending on the size. How many families in Nigeria can afford that? That is why we are recording excess in market and not because the total yam produced is enough for Nigerians.
When you start exporting yam, looking at the situation in the country, you will only make things more difficult for Nigerians as yam, when exported, will become scarce for us and more costly. It will also be an opportunity for farmers and exporters to feed fat on Nigerians irrespective of the hardship because of the profit they will derive by exporting yam.
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