Austin Tam-George, a Nigerian analyst and former Information Commissioner in Rivers State, has expressed concern over the recent humanitarian food aid from Ukraine, a country currently at war, to Nigeria. He views this as a stark indicator of Nigeria’s deepening economic crisis.
In response to Nigeria’s growing inflation and food price crises, the Ukrainian Government has offered a substantial donation of 25,000 tonnes of wheat. This emergency food aid is intended to support 1.3 million individuals in northeast Nigeria who are most vulnerable.
The British High Commission’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office’s Senior Communications and Public Diplomacy Officer, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, revealed this development in a statement. She explained that the donation was made as part of the United Nations World Food Program’s (WFP’s) ongoing efforts in northeast Nigeria.
However, Tam-George, while speaking on Sunrise Daily on Monday, March 4, 2024, expressed his concerns about this development. He believes it underscores the economic and leadership issues plaguing Nigeria.
Tam-George questioned the logic behind Nigeria’s dependence on food aid from a war-torn country like Ukraine, especially considering Nigeria’s favorable climate and fertile soil. He stressed that Nigeria has the necessary resources and population to achieve domestic food sufficiency, rather than relying on external aid.
He stated, “Last week, we saw headlines across the country about Nigeria receiving 25,000 tonnes of grains from Ukraine. Initially, I thought it was a joke. Why would a country like Ukraine, which is currently at war, be donating food to Nigeria? This clearly shows the extent of our problems. Nigeria has some of the best weather and soil conditions, and a population large enough to significantly invest in agriculture and ensure food security for its people. Why then are we accepting grain from a war-torn country like Ukraine? This clearly indicates that we are facing a severe economic crisis, and more importantly, a serious leadership crisis.”
Tam-George further emphasized that it is the responsibility of the government at all levels to address Nigeria’s food crisis, which has been exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies leading to increased food costs.
The World Food Programme has confirmed that Ukraine’s donation of 25,000 tonnes of wheat will help feed approximately 1.3 million Nigerians in the North-Eastern region who are affected by the country’s high food prices.
Moreover, the rising food prices have led to protests in several states, with Nigerians expressing their dissatisfaction with the current hardships. Instances of looting of government warehouses and attacks on trucks carrying food items have been reported across the country.
