President Bola Tinubu, in the company of Vice President Kashim Shettima, met with the 36 state governors and the Minister, Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The meeting was held at the State House in Abuja on Thursday.
The meeting was necessitated by the rising price of food items and insecurity, and delayed/non-payment of salaries and gratuities owed workers, retirees and pensioners, amongst others.
This was disclosed in a tweet posted on X by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga
Onanuga stated that “the meeting agreed on common ground to address some of the challenges currently facing the country especially the rising cost of food and insecurity.
“After extensive deliberations, the President and Governors agreed to work together to solve the problems and tackle the economic pressure being faced by the citizens.”
Below are the key takeaways from the meeting:
1. On addressing insecurity which is also affecting farming and food production, President Tinubu made three key pronouncements.
President Tinubu informed the Governors that the Federal Government will work with them and the National Assembly towards putting in place a mechanism that will engender state police instead of the vigilantes that are being used in some states.
The President charged the Governors to strengthen their Forest Rangers and arm them to keep all the forests safe from criminals. Modalities for State Police and addressing security issues are to be discussed further at the National Economic Council.
2. On the rising cost of food: The President directed that the State Governments and Federal government should collaborate to increase local food production.
The President advised against the idea of food importation and price control when local food producers should be encouraged to produce more food.
3. The President advised Governors to follow the example of Kano State in dealing with the hoarding of food for profiteering by commodities merchants.
He directed the Inspector-General of Police, National Security Adviser and Department of State Security Services to monitor warehouses hoarding food items across the country and stop profiteering by merchants.
4. The President charged Governors to pay attention to livestock development in their states and increase production most especially poultry and fishing products.
5. The President pleaded with Governors to ensure all salary arrears to workers and gratuities to retired workers and pensioners are cleared as a way to put money into the hands of the people since states are now getting more monthly FAAC revenue.
Spend the money, don’t spend the people, he urged the governors.
6. President Tinubu implored the Governors to create more economic opportunities for the youths in their states to keep them more productively engaged.