Umar Bago, Governor of Niger, Rt. Hon. Umar Bago clarified misconceptions regarding the state’s stance on the mass purchase of food items from the state to other states in the country on Monday.
Speaking during an interview with newsmen, Gov. Bago said he only stopped bulk purchases of food from local markets to neighbouring countries.
Recently, the governor, while responding to the reaction of the citizens to economic hardship, stopped the bulk purchase of food from local markets.
However, some reports claimed that Bago banned the sale and purchase of foods in bulk from Niger State to other Nigerian states.
The governor said food items purchased in Niger state markets were not stopped from being exported to other states in the country.
The governor explained that the decision was to regulate the level of sales and ensure the people were not exploited by smugglers.
According to him, “We have markets in the local government headquarters, we have local markets in the bushes, now these aggregators or what do you call them — saboteurs and even smugglers—go to these villages
“For a farmer to give you a bag of paddy, it may take him two three days because it’s manual, Imagine arresting two hundred trucks of paddy crossing the Benin Republic from Niger State; you can imagine what it does to the market.”
“Our factories in the state are starved; people take our paddies to the Benin Republic, mill them, bring them back, and exploit our people.
He highlighted the challenges faced by local farmers, including exploitation by middlemen and smugglers who divert agricultural produce to international markets.
Governor Bago stressed the importance of protecting local industries and ensuring fair market prices for farmers.
According to him, “So, what we did was say, Ok, let’s control the level of sales; we know how much you need as a farmer; you don’t need to sell everything overnight. Why is somebody luring you with excess cash, not minding the price?
He further emphasised the detrimental effects of unchecked food exportation on the local economy, pointing out that Niger State’s factories were suffering due to the exploitation of agricultural resources.
According to him, “a bag that we sell for 40,000 somebody is giving you 100,000, you know, obviously you know there’s a problem there and so it has helped cut down the prices, putting stock movement of food from Niger to any state within Nigeria, you know local sales are going on within the country, but we have blocked all the borders where they export these things to.”
While noting that the ban was addressing the food inflation in the state, Gov. Bago said, “It’s yielding results, and we need to intensify as a country. You know there’s the African Free Trade Agreement, but you know it has a limit. You can pack all your food in the name of looking for money,” he said.
Gov. Bago, who reiterated the state’s commitment to supporting local farmers and ensuring food security within the country, emphasised the need for collaborative efforts to address challenges in the agricultural sector and promote sustainable development.
