FG inaugurates task force on rising cost of food items

FG inaugurates task force on rising cost of food items

Thursday, February 2, 2017 12:31 am


Ag President Presides over FEC of 1st FEB 2017, STATE HOUSE, ABUJA

The Federal Government has approved the setting up of a Task Force to address the rising cost of food items across the country.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed stated this while briefing State House correspondents along side with Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun and Minister of State for Aviation Hadi Sirika.

The meeting, which was held at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, was presided over by the acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

According to him, the government is concerned about the exorbitant prices of the food items and is determined to do something urgently to reverse the trend.

He stated that members of the task force were the ministers of agriculture, finance, water resources, transportation.

“The major highlight council resolved to set up task force on food security. Government is quite concerned about the rising cost of food items and the fact that more often than not even when these products are available, if it does reach the market, they are sold at very exorbitant prices.

“So, the government has set up task force on food security to ensure that an end is put to the wastage that occur and with tons and tons of produce sitting down in the farms rotting or in the markets getting rotting.

Mohammed said the task force, which was given one week to submit its interim report, would suggest areas of intervention by the government.

He maintained that the intervention could be in the area of subsidy in transportation.

This is being worked out but this goes to show that government is very much concerned about the rising cost of food price and we are responding to it.

“The committee, hopefully, is expected to report back to council next week and concrete actions would be taken.

In his contribution, the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, disclosed that the council approved the procurement of 10 new coaches to boost rail transportation on the Abuja Kaduna standard gauge railway.

He expressed the hope that the new coaches would enhance transportation of passengers and goods following the impending closure of the Abuja airport.

The minister announced that the council also approved the construction of joint briefing offices in all 21 Federal Government’s airports across the country.

“The joint briefing offices will include the air automation and will co-locate the track-up projects, the total radar coverage, the air automation system, which include the air automation system and the pilot briefing offices.’’


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