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By Dickson Okafor
Chairman Blue Diamond Logistics China/Uzotex Bonded Terminal, Festus Mbisiogu, has said that the removal of the fuel subsidy and severe insecurity which has driven farmers from their land are some of the causes of Nigeria’s current economic hardship and food crisis.
In this interview with Daily Sun, he stated that while the government’s reforms are commendable, they require time to yield benefits. He then reiterated the need to enact policies that would alleviate suffering, improve security to enable farming, and enable stable power supply to attract investment.
What is your assessment of the administration of President Bola Tinubu?
The cause of the current hardship is because of the removal of fuel subsidy by this government in May 29, 2023. No civilian or military regime has governed Nigeria without fuel subsidy except the present administration. Don’t forget that all the presidential candidates in 2023 election during their campaign told us that they would remove fuel subsidy if elected. So, it was not only Tinubu that made such a promise. Meanwhile, many Nigerians were getting wealthier from subsidy on petrol to subsidy on dollar but today, the government is gradually coming out of huge debt to stabilise economy. Therefore, the cause of the major challenges this government is tackling is by removal of fuel subsidy.
There is also the issue of food security. Today, insecurity has driven farmers away from their farms especially in North Central. Benue State is the food basket of the nation, but because farmers are being killed by herders, they abandoned their farm. Today, the price of rice in Nigeria is very high because the exchange rate is a determiner of what we buy and sell. As we speak, the rate of one dollar is N1600.
The reforms introduced by the government are ideal, but it will take time before Nigerians will start enjoying its benefits. I urge President Tinubu to introduce policies that can lessen the economic pains Nigerians are facing because at the moment, most families can’t afford even two square meals in a day. It is unfortunate that Nigeria is import dependent and with high rate of dollar the prices of these imported items has hit the roof.
APC during its campaign in 2023 promised to introduce modern farming to boost agriculture in order to attain food security. Has this promise been fulfilled?
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Agriculture is the backbone of advanced countries that is why food is cheap in those places. I am a living witness of how China has continued to feed over 1, 407, 181,209 billion of her population through agriculture. The late Audu Ogbeh was familiar with the practical challenges of agriculture in Nigeria and sought during his tenure as Minister of Agriculture, to accelerate the country’s quest for food sovereignty. He was instrumental to the launch of “The Green Alternative: Agriculture Promotion Policy, 2016 to 2019” under which merchanisation was a thrust. To prevent food scarcity, Ogbeh designed the Action Plan and Monitoring Framework for the implementation of the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP 2022-2027). The aim was to address critical challenges in the food supply chain, including agricultural inputs, technology, extension services, as well as post-harvest losses, the overall goal being the sustainability of the country’s food systems and contribution to economic growth. Unfortunately, this noble idea died immediately Audu Ogbeh was removed as Minister of Agriculture. Therefore, Nigeria has no business with food shortage. The government must as a matter of urgent importance create an enabling environment for youths to take delight in farming. This can be achieved if the state governors empower farmers in the rural areas through soft loans and provision of security. Recently, President Tinubu urged the governors not leave the fight to eradicate poverty to the Federal Government alone that they should help to eliminate hunger and poverty in the rural areas through disbursement of funds to enable rural dwellers to farm. Even though provision of security and welfare of the people is the primary responsibility of government, the governors were also saddled with the same responsibility.
Are you then advocating for state police?
Virtually all government institutions have been abused hence the reason they are not functioning as they ought to. But that can’t be enough reason why the Federal Government should not allow the creation of state police. The state governors have been overpowered by insecurity that is why they depend on Federal Government for assistance which ought not to be so. In developed countries, states single handedly provide security and that is why there is security in those nations unlike Nigeria. With state police, crime will be easily dedicated and criminals apprehended because the police officers are from the Local Government Area and they are familiar with the environment. Unlike what we have now whereby a police officer from Sokoto is posted to Imo as the Commissioner of Police and other officers and personnel from different states to Imo State. The same thing applies to the states and LGAs of the country. That is why the Police finds it difficult to track or dedicate crime before it is committed because they don’t know the people and they are not familiar with the environment. So, with such arrangement the method of policing can’t combat crime or secure the people. I support the establishment of State Police because vigilantes can be trained as police officers and engaged to secure their areas. It would thereby reduce the rate of crime and restiveness in the rural areas because they know the criminals among them.
The Primate of Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, described Nigerian hospitals as where people go to die. Bearing this in mind, what is your opinion about Nigerian leaders who go for treatment abroad?
Ogbeh until his death was against foreign medical trip by Nigerian leaders and wealthy individuals. It is a shame that Nigeria does not have world standard medical facilities hence, government officials and even some prominent persons die in foreign hospitals. It is unfortunate that past governments could not build world class medical facilities where Nigerians can go and take treatment instead of spending huge sums of money on foreign medical trips. It is not surprising to me because it will be impossible for a country that cannot generate uninterrupted power supply to operate world standard medical facilities. Yes, our deplorable state of healthcare facilities is a dead zone. Drugs are prescribed for patients to go and buy and sometimes there will be no electricity to carry out operations. Most patients that go to Nigerian hospitals die there especially those that cannot afford medical bills. That is why Nigerians prefer to go for healing in churches because they can’t afford medical bill. I urge President Tinubu to build world class hospital to save Nigerians from medical tourism and capital flight.
What is your take on the just approved N142bn by President Tinubu for the construction of bus terminals in Anambra State?
It is a welcome development and the choice of locations was based on economic viability of Anambra State as Eastern commercial hub. Again, it will attract foreign investors and encourage our sons and daughters who are doing well in business overseas to come back and invest. I also appeal to Federal Government to extend the gesture to Onitsha/Owerri Expressway where part of the road has been divided by erosion so that it can be fixed. This approval is as a result of Governor Charles Soludo’s effort to attract Federal Government projects to the South-East.
