President constitutes Food Security Council

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday constituted the National Food Security Council few days after announcing the establishment of the council.

Malam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, made the announcement in a statement in Abuja.

According to Shehu, the council, to be chaired by the president will be inaugurated on March 26, and it will have as members, the governors of Kebbi, Taraba, Plateau, Lagos, Ebonyi and Delta.

He said that other members of the council would include the secretary to the government of the federation; the chief of staff to the president; the national security adviser and seven ministers.

“The ministers to be represented are for agriculture and rural development; finance; interior; industry, trade and investment; water resources; environment and budget and national planning.’’

Other people named in the council are the chief of defence staff; governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); directors-generals of the department of state services and the National Intelligence Agency as well as the comptroller-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service.

Shehu listed the objectives of the council to include developing sustainable solutions to farmers/herdsmen clashes; climate change and desertification.

The council is also to appraise the impact of the issues on farmland; grazing areas and lakes, rivers and other water bodies; oil spillage and its impact on Niger Delta fishing communities and agricultural research institutions and extension services.

It will also take interest in regional and global policies and trends that bear implications for food security in Nigeria as well as address the problem of smuggling, piracy and banditry.

On March 13, Buhari at a meeting with the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Rice Millers Association and Rice Distributors, including the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefile and governors of Jigawa and Kebbi, Abubakar Badaru and Atiku Bagudu, respectively, announced the establishment of the council.