NEWS: TINUBU TASKS GOVERNORS ON COMPETENCE, FARMER SUPPORT SERVICES

State governors have been given orders by President Bola Tinubu to uphold zero tolerance for ineptitude, assist indigenous farmers, and purge the system of import rent seekers.

The President went on to say that his administration was developing domestic alternatives to deal with the country’s food security by implementing programmes to encourage domestic production and deter any kind of rent-seeking related to the importation of food.

In Abuja on Thursday, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, the National Security Advisor, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the DSS, and a few ministers were present when Tinubu delivered the charge to 36 state governors.

On security, Tinubu approved the establishment of a committee comprising state governors and representatives of the federal government to explore the modalities for establishing state police.

The President also endorsed the training and equipping of forest rangers by sub-national governments to safeguard human and natural resources in local communities.

”My position at this meeting is that we must move aggressively and establish a committee to look critically at the issues raised, including the possibility of establishing state police.

”From Kano, we have read reports about large-scale hoarding of food in some warehouses. The National Security Adviser (NSA), the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services should coordinate very closely and ensure that security agencies in the states inspect such warehouses with follow up action.

”We must ensure that speculators, hoarders, and rent seekers are not allowed to sabotage our efforts in ensuring the wide availability of food to all Nigerians.

”What I will not do is to set a price control board. I will not also approve the importation of food. We should be able to get ourselves out of the situation we found ourselves in, because importation will allow rent seekers to perpetrate fraud and mismanagement at our collective expense.

“We would rather support farmers with the schemes that will make them go to the farm and grow more food for everyone in the country.

”We must also look at the rapid but thoughtful implementation of our livestock development and management plans, including dairy farming and others,” the President said.

Tinubu urged the governors to trust the Central Bank of Nigeria with the management of the country’s monetary policy, emphasising the importance of allowing designated institutions to fulfill their mandate effectively.

He said the ”cacophony of postulations” on the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates was unduly affecting the market negatively.

”Every one of us can not be an expert. If we have given someone an assignment, let us allow them to do it. If they can not do it, then we find a way to quickly get them out of the system,” he said.

The President urged the governors to always make the welfare and prosperity of the people a priority of their development programmes, assuring them that the federal government would continue to work diligently to improve the nation’s revenue profile.

At the meeting, the President and the governors emphasised the importance of working together to address issues of insecurity, food security and out-of-school children.

Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, lauded the President for convening the meeting, adding that the governors’ would continue to collaborate with the federal government.