In almost 50 days of the Bola Tinubu Presidency, the President has shown that, like a child gifted a new toy, he is eager to test out the powers of his new power, calling the shots and giving orders that mirror a fulfilment of his campaign promises.
One of such Orders, is the removal of fuel subsidy which Tinubu has shown eagerness to take the glory for when viewed from a positive lens and then attribute it to his predecessor when the knocks come heavily.
In a bid to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on food prices, President Bola Tinubu unleashed a grand promise to release fertilisers and grains to approximately 50 million farmers and households scattered across all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The idea is that while fuel price hike continues to punch hard at the soft core of Nigerians survival, the release of aids to farmers would stabilise the price of food.
Now, hold your praise singing; while this seems like a noble move on the surface, a closer look reveals a myriad of perplexing issues that demand answers.
First and foremost, the Presidency’s claim of 50 million farmers raises an eyebrow or two. Are there really that many farmers in the country, or are they counting the chickens before they hatch? In a different report (BabbanGona), some have suggested that there are actually 38 million smallholder farmers in the country.
It appears that the government’s “database” for farmers is about as mythical as the legendary unicorn – heard of but never seen.
In April 2021, the then Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, proudly proclaimed that a whopping 5.7 million farmers had been registered nationwide “to bring them closer to government.”
Either Nigeria has less or more than 50 million farmers, there’s no doubt that the lack of a database condemns us to the idea of playing with figures without certainty.
It also means that Nigeria may tow the path of previous failures by indulging political farmers – You know, those well-connected individuals who wouldn’t know a maize seed from a water melon seed but have the uncanny ability to grow fat bank accounts while real farmers struggle to feed the nation.
They will get the most of these intended fertilisers, store them and then sell ahead of the next farming season.
The verdict is that without a database of actual farmers, the distribution of fertilisers to “farmers” is an epic failure being composed in the offing.
Meanwhile, Climate change remains a global headache which no painkiller seems to be relieving. Unfortunately, if you subject yourself to further stress, that headache may become a killer. That is the same impact dumping large amounts of synthetic fertilizers (I do not think Government has enough organic fertilisers for 50million farmers) into the hands of farmers might have eventually on their lands.
The consequences of this gift could lead to an environmental catastrophe. Mother Nature won’t be pleased with this synthetic offering, and we might end up reaping more problems than rewards.
Permit me to share this reaction by a Senior Colleague (via WhatsApp) to the plan by the Federal government.
He wrote; “Lets ignore for a minute that releasing Fertilizer now, when the rainy season is well set in makes no sense by Nigeria rain fed calendar and this will only destroy EOP returns for commercial farmers while the grains released will keep price down after most of them have invested
“Ultimately, commercial farmers (AgriBiz) will pay a terrible price as they’re heading for a money losing season just because of these two policies that sounds altruistic but inevitably lead to value destruction & means low investments next season & even higher food prices coming.
“When commercial farmers who invest in agriculture for returns and provide the reserve of food stock abandon the land & production because of a preceding losing farming season, we all pay a terrible price in reduced jobs, investments, higher food prices and inflation.”
Now, don’t get me wrong – the intention behind the government’s move might be good, but it’s the execution that leaves us scratching our heads.
It justifies the point that removing fuel subsidy without a clearcut plan and while conversation was on with the organised Labour was like taking an empty vehicle on a road trip without any guarantee of getting fuel within a 100mile range. It is the same gamble made with signing a student loan bill without proper consideration of its impacts?
It’s time for President Tinubu to show some pragmatism and stop playing “Wuruwuru to the answer.”
Mr. President, Nigerians appreciate the gesture, but we demand answers. The lack of a reliable farmer database, the climate change concerns, the dubious distribution channels – these issues need proper addressing.
Fulfilling promises without proper planning is like building a castle in the air – it’s only a matter of time before it all comes crashing down. Let’s put aside the grandstanding and focus on practical solutions that would benefit the nation in the long run.
