Niger’s governor, Umar Bago, has dispelled misconceptions about the state’s attitude on large-scale purchases of food from other states in the country.
In an interview, Bago stated that he simply halted bulk purchases of food from local marketplaces for neighboring countries.
Recently, in response to citizens’ concerns about economic hardship, the governor halted large purchases of food from local markets.
According to certain accounts, Bago prohibited the sale and purchase of bulk foods from Niger state to other Nigerian states.
The governor stated that food commodities purchased at Niger state markets are not prohibited from being exported to other states in the country.
He explained that the decision was made to regulate sales and prevent smugglers from exploiting victims.
“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,” the governor said.
“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,” the governor said.
“Our factories here are starved, people take our paddies to Benin republic, mill it, bring it 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.
“So, what we did is to 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 emphasized 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.
“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.”
Bago said the ban is addressing the food inflation in the state.
“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.
Bago reiterated the state’s commitment to supporting local farmers and ensuring food security within the country.
He emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to address challenges in the agricultural sector and promote sustainable development.