By Uzair Adam Imam
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider reopening the country’s borders for the importation of foodstuff in order to address the current food crisis.
Governor Yusuf stressed that the closure of the borders has had a significant impact on the people of Kano State, leading to increased food prices and suffering.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Kano Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf called for the reopening of the country’s borders to address the current food crisis.
The statement was released following a meeting between the governor and the Controller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Alhaji Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, at the Government House in Kano.
Governor Yusuf noted the critical condition of hunger and starvation in the country, which has been exacerbated by the sharp increase in commodity prices.
The statement read in part; “We wish appreciate the President’s intervention on the ongoing national food initiative which he considers Kano as the host for the initiative to be launched believing that the programme will cushion the effects of food scarcity if implemented”
Governor Yusuf stressed the urgent need for intervention, including the reopening of the borders to allow for the importation of commodities.
In his meeting with the Controller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Governor Yusuf highlighted the hardships faced by the people, particularly during Ramadan.
He stressed that the opening of the borders would be a crucial step in alleviating the distress of the people.
In addition to advocating for the reopening of the borders, Governor Yusuf commended the Customs Service’s initiative to distribute food items to the people of Kano, who have been facing hardship and hunger.
He urged the Customs Service to ensure that the food reaches those who are most affected. The governor also pledged his support to the Customs Service in its efforts to benefit the people of Kano and Nigeria as a whole.
In his response, Adeniyi emphasized the importance of building strong ties between the Nigerian Customs Service and the Kano community.
He emphasized the Service’s commitment to collaboration and constructive dialogue, and pledged to implement policies that would improve business processes and strengthen engagement with all stakeholders.
In addition to his interaction with stakeholders, the Controller General Adeniyi revealed that the Customs Service had made extensive plans to address the challenges of food scarcity and hardship in Kano. This includes the distribution of food items to the people of Kano.