Tinubu government has run out of ideas – ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has harshly criticized the President Bola Tinubu-led government for its inability to effectively tackle the continuous surge in food prices. The party claims that the Tinubu administration has exhausted its ideas to address the worsening cost of living. ADC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi highlighted the government's emphasis on a minor reduction in headline inflation, which does not align with the actual struggles faced by millions of Nigerians in purchasing essential food items.

Despite the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reporting a slight decline in headline inflation from 15.91% in June to 15.43% in July, Abdullahi emphasized that food inflation skyrocketed from 17.52% in June to 20.31% in July, as well as a rise in monthly food inflation from 3.75% to 5.56%.

ADC accuses the government of failing to make food more affordable for ordinary Nigerians, stating that the administration lacks innovative solutions to the issue. They argue that the government should prioritize whether Nigerians can afford basic food items rather than merely reporting statistical improvements. ADC points to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report, which reveals that 35 million Nigerians are experiencing acute food insecurity.

The party challenges the government to explain the growing difficulty for Nigerians to afford food, even if economic reforms are supposedly yielding desired results. ADC proposes treating food security as a national security issue, advocating for increased food production and reduced costs for farmers through measures such as lowering fertilizer, seed, machinery, diesel, transportation costs, and access to finance.

The ADC also highlights insecurity as a significant barrier to food production, stressing that farmers face challenges accessing their farms, harvesting crops, and transporting goods to markets. To alleviate this, the party calls for reduced costs in moving food from farms to markets by addressing poor roads, insecurity, high transportation expenses, and multiple levies.

Additionally, ADC suggests establishing a transparent national food reserve and strategic buffer system to provide essential food items during sharp price increases, thus supporting both consumers and producers. ADC concludes that the Tinubu administration's focus on falling headline inflation as a sign of economic progress is misleading, as Nigerians continue to judge the economy primarily by food prices.