President Tinubu (middle) flanked by the 36 state governors after the meeting
By Jon Egie
In response to hunger due to the rising cost of food and insecurity in Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu and his vice, Kashim Shettima yesterday held a meeting with the 36 state governors and the FCT Minister, Nyesome Wike, to deliberate on the way forward.
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After extensive deliberations the President and Governors agreed to work together to solve the problems and tackle the economic pressure being faced by the citizens.
Among other resolutions reached, the President made three key pronouncement on issue of insecurity which has adversely affected food production across the country namely:
* recruitment of more police personnel to strengthen the Nigeria Police Force, *consideration of working together with the States governors and the National Assembly to engender a mechanism that will put in place State Police instead of use of vigilantes and assuring that the matter shall be discussed further at the National Economic Council meeting,
* a charge by President Tinubu on the 36 governors to keep all their forests safe from criminals by arming and strengthening their various Forest Rangers.
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On rising cost of food, President Tinubu called for encouragement of local food producers and directed that the State Governments and Federal government should collaborate to increase local food production. He advised against the idea of food importation and price control when local food producers should be encouraged to produce more food.
He further directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to monitor warehouses hoarding food items across the country and stop profiteering by merchants.
President Tinubu charged the state governors to focus on livestock development and encourage investment and increased production especially in poultry and fishery products.
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To put money in the hands of the people, President Bola Tinubu pleaded with the State governors to ensure all salary arrears to workers, gratuities to retired workers and pensioners are cleared since states are now getting more monthly FAAC revenue. “Spend the money, don’t spend the people”, he urged the governors
President Tinubu also implored Governors to create more economic opportunities for the youths in their states so as to keep them more productively engaged.
