The Senate, on Tuesday, called upon the Federal Government to issue food vouchers to impoverished Nigerians as a means of alleviating the ongoing economic hardship. These vouchers, akin to paper tokens, would be provided to individuals with low income, allowing them to acquire essential food items.
Furthermore, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to collaborate with various stakeholders, including the Lagos Food Bank Initiative, known for its introduction of the Temporary Food Assistance Programme in recent years.
This call for food vouchers stemmed from a motion presented by Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), co-sponsored by Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC, Kwara Central), and supported by a majority of lawmakers during Tuesday’s session.
Ndume referenced the October 2023 Cadre Harmonisé Analysis on food insecurity, which forecasted that in 2024, approximately 26.5 million Nigerians would face significant food insecurity challenges.
He said, “The reason for the above projection is not far-fetched, as shown by several indicators, which include but are not limited to the ongoing conflicts across the country, climate change impacts, escalating inflation as witnessed in recent times, and rising costs of both food and essential non-food commodities, due to the fall in the value of naira in the exchange market.”
He expressed concern about the multitude of hungry and discontented Nigerians who have been vocalizing their frustration and anger regarding the recent surge in food prices.
Senator Abba Moro (PDP Benue South), the Senate Minority Leader, emphasized that there couldn’t be a more opportune moment for the motion than the present, highlighting that identifying vulnerable individuals in his constituency had consistently posed challenges, but the implementation of food stamps would alleviate this.
Senator Sadiq Umar (APC Kwara North) emphasized the importance of the executive ensuring that only those genuinely in need receive the food assistance, stressing the urgency for the program to commence immediately.
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