“No cent should go into food import… We have achieved food security” – Buhari to CBN

President Muhammadu Buhari has said he’s directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stop provision of foreign exchange for importation of food into the country.

This was disclosed in a statement by Buhari’s media aide Garba Shehu. According to Shehu, the president said the directive is as a result of “the steady improvement in agricultural production, and attainment of full food security.”

Buhari said, in the Eid-el-Kabir lunch meeting with All Progressives Congress (APC) governors in Daura, said the foreign reserve will be conserved and utilized strictly for diversification of the economy, and not for encouraging more dependence on foreign food import bills.

“Don’t give a cent to anybody to import food into the country,” he said.

President noted that some states like Kebbi, Ogun, Lagos, Jigawa, Ebonyi and Kano had already taken advantage of the Federal Government’s policy on agriculture with huge returns in rice farming, urging more states to plug into the ongoing revolution to feed the nation.

“We have achieved food security, and for physical security we are not doing badly,” he said.

President Buhari said he was particularly delighted that young Nigerians, including graduates, had started exploring agric-business and entrepreneurship, with many posting testimonies of good returns on their investments.

President Buhari said the incoming ministers will be “taught’’ and thoroughly guided to ensure they meet the targets of the APC-led government for the people, with regular monitoring of their performances and scaling up of targets by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

The President assured that he will attend the Presidential Policy Retreat organised for the ministers by the OSFG, and insisted on compliance with laid down targets on key sectors of the economy that will directly impact on the livelihood of Nigerians.