By Iheanyi Enwerem
Member representing Ehime Mbano, Ihitte-Uboma,Obowo federal constituency Hon. Chike Okafor, has moved a motion at the green chambers to assist in tackling the economic challenges currently ravaging the country.
In a motion he presented at the floor of the chambers during plenary on Wednesday, tagged ” food scarcity in Nigeria, Nutritional dangers and urgent need for more government remedial measures to address food shortages ahead of the rainy/farming season”.
The federal lawmaker in his motion noted disclosed that as the farming season approaches, it is imperative to take immediate action to avert a worsening crisis and ensure the availability of food and well-being of our citizens.
” The current state of food scarcity in Nigeria poses a grave threat to the health and livelihoods of millions of our people. Insufficient access to nutritious food not only leads to hunger and malnutrition but also exacerbates existing health conditions and undermines the overall development of our nation.
24.9 Million Nigerians are presently in an acute/critical stage of hunger, and this is considered to be an emergency, while 85.8 Million Nigerians have insufficient food consumption and out of this number, 47.7 Million Nigerians have a crisis or above crisis level in terms of food-based survival margin”. Okafor noted
The House led by Speaker Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen however resolved by urging the Federal Government to improve on short-term food subsidies, assistance to farmers, especially those engaged in dry season farming, improved supply chain control to reduce wastage, and short-term price control.
Also that a National Food Security and Nutrition Summit is urgently convened by the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, in conjunction with House Committee on Agriculture Production and Service and Committee on Agriculture College and Institutions to address the current shortage of food and nutrition dangers with a view of finding lasting solution to the food crises facing the country. Mandated all relevant Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organizations, and private sector partners to actively participate in the summit and contribute towards the formulation of comprehensive solutions to ensure more Legislative input for Food security and Nutrition for all Nigerians.
It will be recalled that Hon. Dcn. Chike Okafor is chairing House committee on Nutrition and food security.
