The Presidency has taken step to put an end to the rising food prices in the country by setting up a Presidential Task Force at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting today, Wednesday.
The Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who constituted the Task Force, expressed concern at some of the inflationary rates of food prices.
He said that the Task Force will explore options to promote availability and affordability of food items to Nigerians.
According to him, the Task Force, which has seven days from today to report back to the Council, will consider how to remove some of the cost-raising factors that come into play between the farms and the markets and therefore “bring relief to our people.”
While there have been reports of bumper harvests in parts of the country, the prices of food stuff are still high, even as some of the produce are wasting as a result of a number of reasons preventing effective transportation delivery to the markets.
One of the focus areas of the Task Force, Porofessor Osinbajo said, would be to review the transportation and preservation processes, and see how government can intervene in those aspects to bring down food prices.
The Task Force, which would be meeting with the acting President in the discharge of its assignment, will draw out a practical plan and present same to the Council next week.
Members of the Task Force are:
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh
Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun
Minister of Industry, Trade and Development, Dr. Okey Enelamah
Minister of Transportation, Chief Rotimi Amaechi
Minister for Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige
The Offices of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, would also be on the Task Force. [myad]
