Emmanuel Ikpeama
The Presidential Candidate of Labour Party in the last election,Mr Peter Obi has asked the Federal Government with a matter of urgency to aggressively reorder the country priorities by investing resources in productive sectors like agriculture so as to avoid future embarrassment.
Mr Obi, on Monday on X, while commending the Ukrainian government for supporting Nigeria, said “It is disheartening that our once economically confident nation, blessed with vast arable land and abundant natural resources, now relies on a war-torn Ukraine for food assistance, stating that if insecurity is addressed it will be crucial for farmers to return to their fields, enabling a productive manufacturing sector and supporting small businesses”he said
Read also:Qatari Government officials to visit Nigeria as Tinubu signs bilateral agreements
The former governor of Anambra state said it is a national disgrace for a country like Ukraine to assist Nigeria that is blessed and endowed with all needed human and natural resources for food assistance in order to fight hunger when we can fight with our resources.
He went further to state that this national disgrace stems from years of leadership failure, necessitating urgent reflection and a reordering of our national priorities and resource management and allocation.
“By 2022, despite being at war, Ukraine’s GDP per capita exceeded $4000, while Nigeria’s regressed to $2184. Ukraine cultivates over 60% of its arable land, whereas Nigeria has over 60% uncultivated arable land. Despite the conflict, Ukraine feeds itself, and exports agricultural products worth over $ 25 billion which is about the same value as our crude oil export earnings, and it serves as a strategic global food supplier, even providing aid to a peaceful yet unproductive Nigeria”
“However,to overcome this challenges and embarrassment the Nigeria needs to arrest hunger by investing heavily into agriculture so as to enhance the standard of living of its citizenry, noting that in 4 to 5 years, this concerted effort can reverse the current trend, leading us toward a productive and New Nigeria that I believe is possible and within reach.” he submitted.
