‘We Are In Serious Economic Crisis’ – Ex-Commissioner Reacts As Ukraine Donates Grains To Nigeria

Nigerian analyst and former Commissioner for Information in Rivers State, Austin Tam-George, has described the reported humanitarian food donation from war-torn Ukraine to Nigeria as embarrassing and a sign of a serious economic crisis.

Naija News reported earlier that the Government of Ukraine has stepped in to offer 25,000 tonnes of wheat as emergency food aid to 1.3 million vulnerable individuals in northeast Nigeria, amidst the country’s escalating inflation and food price crises.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Senior Communications and Public Diplomacy Officer at the British High Commission’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe.

The donation, as mentioned by Akande-Alegbe, was carried out within the context of the United Nations World Food Program’s (WFP’s) response in northeast Nigeria.

Reacting, however, to the news while appearing on Sunrise Daily on Monday, March 4, 2024, Tam-George said the development highlighted the economic and leadership challenges faced by Nigeria.

Tam-George questioned why Nigeria, with its favourable weather and soil conditions, should be reliant on food aid from a country like Ukraine, currently embroiled in a serious war with Russia.

He emphasized that Nigeria has the resources and population to produce enough food domestically, rather than depending on external assistance, especially from a country facing significant challenges like Ukraine.

He said: “Last week we got reports, headlines all over the country that Nigeria is receiving 25,000 tonnes of grains from Ukraine. At first, I thought that was sarcasm because why would a war-torn country like Ukraine be making humanitarian food donations to a country like Nigeria?

“So, it shows you the degree of problems. Nigeria has some of the best weather conditions, we have some of the best soil conditions, we have the population to grow massively into agriculture and to make sure we bring food sustainability to our people.

“Why should we be receiving grain from a war-torn country from Ukraine? So, these are massive indications that we have a serious economic crisis, but more importantly, we have a serious leadership crisis,” Tam-George said.

The former commissioner emphasized that it is the duty of governments at all levels to address the food crisis in Nigeria. As a result of the removal of fuel subsidies, the cost of food has increased.

Naija News reports that the World Food Programme has reported that a donation of 25,000 tonnes of wheat from Ukraine to Nigeria will help provide food for approximately 1.3 million Nigerians affected by the country’s high food prices in the North-Eastern region.

Furthermore, the escalating food prices have compelled Nigerians in certain states to take to the streets in protest against the hardships they are facing.

On Sunday, some Nigerians looted a government warehouse, and there have been frequent incidents of attacks and looting of trucks carrying food items in various parts of the country.