In order to achieve the goal of the federal government to scale up food production in the country, Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, has warned commodity traders against hoarding and speculative trading in the country.
The minister gave the warning on Sunday in Abuja at a special Ramadan lecture/Iftar organised by Mufutau Yinusa, the president’s special adviser on agriculture and food security, and the Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023.
He decried the increasing cost of food items, noting that apart from the insecurity that has affected agricultural production, hoarding has exacerbated the problem.
“Some of the problems we are facing are also man-made. Hoarding, for instance, and speculative trade by commodity traders are also very huge. We have seen and discovered some warehouses in big commodity areas where gates are removed and walls built just to hoard foodstuffs inside.
Mr Kyari said the federal government would continue to work round the clock to ensure food security for the nation while addressing the insecurity challenge frontally.
He reiterated the federal government’s commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to address the nation’s economic challenges, therefore urged Muslims to pray for the nation and its leaders during Ramadan.
In his lecture, Sheik Muhammad Kabir, Imam of Abuja National Mosque, admonished Muslims to shun corruption while contributing positively to nation-building.
Mr Yinusa said the lecture was part of efforts to support the current administration and reach out to the grassroots.