Senate Chief Whip Ali Ndume is worried about the increasing living costs and food shortages.

Ndume told BBC Hausa that the government’s failure to address these problems is a big issue, and some ministers can’t meet with President Bola Tinubu to talk about it.

He said that even ministers and National Assembly members can’t meet with the President to discuss issues affecting their areas.

Ndume mentioned this after he and Senator Sunday Steve Karimi proposed a motion to address the food crisis in Nigeria. They cited the World Food Programme’s warning that 82 million Nigerians could face food insecurity in the next five years.

The senator said the motion aimed to highlight the serious food crisis in Nigeria. He warned that without urgent government action, famine and starvation, especially among children, could result.

He urged the President to address the issues of high living costs and food shortages.

He said,

“We want to draw the government’s attention to the fact that Nigeria is not only facing a high cost of living but also food scarcity. We want the President to intervene in the issue of high cost of living and food scarcity”,

“We have seen how it happened in Niger Republic and South Sudan, where children are dying due to hunger, and we are starting to see it in Nigeria, Senator Ndume,” 

“What we want the government to do is to sit with experts and other stakeholders to find a solution to the problem. We are urging the government to take action, lest they forget that Nigeria is grappling with both soaring prices and a severe food shortage. We fear that a day may come when even if someone has the financial means to purchase food, they will go to the market and find none available.” he said