Task Force Investigating Rise In Cost Of Food

Nigeria sets up task force to check rising food costs

Sani Tukur

1 day ago

Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed

The Federal Government of Nigeria has set up a task force on food security to curb rising cost of food items.

This was revealed by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday while briefing journalists at the end of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council.

“Government is quite concerned about the rising cost of food items and the fact that more often than not, even when these products are available and do not reach the market, they are sold at very exorbitant prices.

“So, the government has set up a task force on food security to ensure that an end is put to the wastages that occur and with tons and tons of produce sitting down in the farms rotting or in the markets getting rotten,” he said.

Mr. Mohammed said the task force is an inter-ministerial committee made up of the Ministers of Agriculture, Finance, Water Resources and Transportation.

“The important thing is to look at what areas of intervention can the government make.

“The intervention can be in the area of subsidy in transportation, that is being worked out but this goes to show that government is very much concerned with the rising cost of food prices and we are responding to it,” he said.

The minister said the committee is expected to report back to FEC next week after which “concrete actions would be taken”.

“Clearly government is concerned and is trying to do something to bring it down,” he said.