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Shehu Sani speaks on Buhari’s warning to CBN on forex for food import


Shehu Sani, former Kaduna Central Senator, has reacted to President Muhammadu Buhari’s call on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stop providing foreign exchange for the importation of food into the country.

Saga Gist had reported on Tuesday that Buhari, while hosting the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors to Eid-el-Kabir lunch at his country home 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.

Buhari said: “Don’t give a cent to anybody to import food into the country.’’

The President noted that some states like Kebbi, Ogun, Lagos, Jigawa, Ebonyi and Kano have already taken advantage of the Federal Government’s policy on agriculture with huge returns on 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.

Reacting in a tweet, Sani wrote, “the President’s directive to the CBN to stop issuance of Forex for food importation is the right step forward” as this will boost food production in Nigeria.

He said: “The President directive to the CBN to stop issuance of Forex for food importation is the right step forward.

“It will boost food production at home.

“Next is to hand over Agric financing to the Bank of Agriculture & not CBN & protect farmers from Kidnappers.”