Ibim Semenitari, former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has called on President Bola Tinubu to take urgent action against rising food inflation in Nigeria. Semenitari highlighted the dire situation where many Nigerians can no longer afford even a single meal of garri, a staple food, per day.
Speaking on Channels Television’s “Inside Sources with Laolu Akande,” Semenitari emphasized the critical need for food security:
“The first thing therefore was the issue of food security. If people can even eat,” she stated.
The former Rivers State Commissioner for Information painted a grim picture of the current economic reality: “Nigerians are literally unable to eat. I’m not talking about three-square meals. We are not even talking about three-round meals; we are talking about one meal a day because the cost of garri which is a staple has gone up.”
She provided examples of price increases:
“People are paying N22,000 for a basin of garri; they used to buy it at N6,000. Garri was something that if you didn’t have money for soup, you would give your children garri, and they would drink it without sugar. Now, they can’t.”
Semenitari urged President Tinubu to consider his legacy and take decisive action:
“The President should think in terms of legacy: ‘When I’m done, what would I be remembered by?’ And the truth is that his aides can’t determine that because legacy is a personal thing. It is not something that sycophants can give you,” she advised.
The former NDDC chief also cautioned against unnecessary expenditures during this period of economic hardship, specifically mentioning the acquisition of a new private jet.
Her comments come amid nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests, where hunger has been a key motivating factor for demonstrators. Nigeria is currently grappling with its worst economic crisis in recent memory, exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of foreign exchange windows in May 2023.
Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows inflation reaching an all-time high of 34.19% in June, with food inflation surging to 40.87% year-on-year in June 2024, a significant increase from 25.25% in June 2023.
While the Tinubu administration and state governors have implemented some palliative measures, Nigerians continue to struggle with the severe impact of inflation as prices of food and basic commodities soar uncontrollably.
