After Kenya Uprising, Ex-Senate President Warns FG Against Hunger-Induced Protests
Former Senate President Ahmed Lawal on Tuesday asked the federal government address the current food crisis and insecurity in the country to avert any potential protests.
His warning on the heels of the recent situation in Kenya where violent protests by citizens against government’s move to increase taxes evolved into demands for better governance and resignation of President William Ruto.
The Senate urged the federal government to alleviate hunger and poverty, following a motion sponsored by Senator Karimi Sunday Steve (Kogi West) and co-sponsored by Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South) on the “urgent need to address food insecurity and market exploitation of consumables in Nigeria” and debated by senators during plenary.
Senator Karimi expressed displeasure that between March and now, the prices of food items in the market have skyrocketed beyond imagination, and asked the Senate to take measures aimed at saving the situation.
In his contribution, Senator Ahmad Lawan said that Nigerians were facing real hunger, stressing that the Senate must immediately engage the executive on the issue.
Lawan, a former Senate President, said, “If we don’t take urgent actions on increased food prices, electricity tariff, we will not like the actions we will see in the streets. We can’t take the people for granted for too long.”
Also, Senator Ndume lamented that Nigeria has been listed as one of the countries experiencing food crisis, stressing that the issue of food insecurity should be taken seriously.
Similarly, Senator Ahmed Wadada (Nasarawa West), said Nigerians are patient people, but stressed that there would come a time they would not be patient under the atmosphere of hunger.
In his submission, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, argued that food insecurity was one of the consequences of 10 years of insecurity including the issue of farmer-herder clashes in the country.
He said, “There is no doubt that the government must rise to the occasion. The food situation is an emergency. We must save our people. We must assist our people to produce. The primary role of government is to ensure the welfare and security of the people.”
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