Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has said there is need to work towards safety of farmers and their produce while on the farm and in transit in order to prevent calamities from food shortage.
Aregbesola said this on Friday, while receiving the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Nanono as a guest in his office in Abuja.
Aregbesola said his Ministry is ready to partner with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to strengthen food security across the country.
He said the Federal Government cannot afford to relent in its efforts to ensure the security and safety of farmers at all levels as well as the seamless movement of farm produce across the country.
He said: “The enormous responsibilities we carry as senior members of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari make it necessary for us to ensure that we provide adequate security to prevent calamities that may arise from food shortages in the land.”
Aregbesola, while commending the efforts of the Agro-Rangers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), in providing security for farmers in the North-Eastern part of the country, especially in Borno State, he said that the Corps had received tremendous support from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development over the years, noting that the efforts have enhanced continuity of commodities coming from that part of the country.
He told his counterpart that in him, he has a worthy partner in achieving the mission and the mandate of his Ministry.
Earlier, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Nanono had decried the challenges facing trade in agricultural commodities, particularly, farmers/herders clashes, illegal taxes along the roads, delays associated with road blocks along the national highways and nefarious activities of various groups who obstruct the free flow of goods and occasionally attack merchandise and traders in parts of the country.
Nanono added that these challenges were seriously contributing to post harvest losses, causing high prices of agricultural commodities, thereby contributing to the general insecurity in Nigeria.
He however reiterated that the purpose of his visit was to seek collaboration of the Ministry of Interior and its agencies towards addressing the various challenges that have been hampering food sufficiency in the country.
He called on Aregbesola to direct relevant security establishments under his watch to provide improved security of lives and property along the federal highways, agricultural communities and major agricultural markets across the country.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, assured the visiting Minister and his team of adequate support of the Ministry of Interior and its agencies, in ensuring an improved food sufficiency and security in Nigeria.