A former governorship candidate in Zamfara and aide to the immediate past Governor, Bello Matawalle, Dr. Sani Shinkafi has urged President Bola Tinubu to quickly address issues of hunger, starvation, disease and insecurity in the country.
Shinkafi was reacting to the stampede that occurred during food distributions in Ibadan, Oyo State, Anambra State and Abuja, calling for a state of emergency in food production and increased budget for agriculture.
About 10 dead bodies were recovered after the incident in Abuja, according to the police, while several persons were also hospitalized.
A similar incident occurred in Anambra State where not less than 20 residents of the Okija community died in a stampede that occurred during an event organized for the distribution of rice.
It was also reported that over 35 people, mostly children, died during a stampede at a carnival in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, a few days ago.
Shinkafi, in a statement he signed on behalf of the Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development, prayed for divine comfort for the families of the victims of the incidents.
“We are saddened by these national tragedies during this festival period and urge security agents to be proactive and ensure public safety and order at palliative distribution centres,” the statement said.
“No doubt the organisers of these welfare distributions had good intentions to touch the lives of the less privileged; the tragedies that followed make it imperative that security agents must be notified on time to ensure seamless distributions and forestall recurrence.
“With over 36 million hectares of arable land in Nigeria, there ought not to be food shortage, hunger, starvation and disease.
“Governments at all levels should be committed to boosting agriculture, curb poverty, unemployment and insecurity in tandem with the provision of Section 14( 2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which states that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.
“Unfortunately, the deaths from the food distributions stampedes have shown to the world that there is acute hunger and starvation in the country.
“It has become necessary for various governments to quickly address food insecurity in the country and bolster citizens standards of living.
“We urge the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in food production and make adequate provision for agriculture in the 2025 appropriation bill.
“Government should also recruit extension workers, provide incentives to farmers, particularly affordable, accessible and sustainable credit schemes for small, medium and large scale farmers to boost agriculture. The need for modern machinery for increased productivity cannot be overemphasized.
“Governments at all levels should urgently provide social amenities particularly access roads for effective and efficient transport of farm produce across the country and drastically reduce inflation now at 34.6%, the highest in three decades.
“As we approach the new year, It is time to take governance seriously and provide the much needed dividends of democracy to assuage the sufferings of citizens,” he stated.
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