₦airaland Forum

The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has called for dialogue between the government and leaders of the planned protest to highlight current economic hardships arising from the reforms initiated by President Bola Tinubu.

The organisation also urged the president to open the land borders, particularly in the Southern part of the country for the importation of food items to bring down price.


The OPC, which gave the advice in a statement, on Tuesday, by its president, Otunba Wasiu Afolabi, however, cautioned against those planning the protest and called on the protesters to embrace dialogue.

It urged President Tinubu to immediately issue an Executive Order opening up all the country’s borders in the South-West and South-South in order for rapid inflow of food that would lower prices.

“A hungry man is an angry man. The government must crash the price of food, electricity and fuel for peace to reign and for people to know that the government cares about their welfare,” it stated.


It enjoined the government to concentrate efforts on fixing the nation’s refineries to produce domestic fuel in order to solve the problem of inadequate and expensive petroleum products.


“If one man, Aliko Dangote, can build a refinery in less than 10 years, how can ordinary maintenance of four full-fledged and functional refineries become an impossible task since 1999 when civilians took over power? What is the mystery?









“Government must identify, expose and apprehend cabals and all the enemies making life unduly difficult for commoners in Nigeria. This nation belongs to all of us and Nigerians must be able to enjoy their commonwealth.”


He also called for reduction in the cost of governance, adding: “A situation where citizens are urged to tighten their belts; but politicians are living larger than life on public funds can only bring discontent and rebellion. Government must cost the cost of governance. These are austere times and the leader must also adopt austerity measures.”


The OPC also asked the police to prevent the demonstration from being hijacked by hoodlums who could use the protest for looting and mayhem.

According to the body, Nigerian leaders and protest organisers must not toe the line of Kenya, where demonstrations degenerated into a bloodbath with loss of lives and wanton destruction of property.


“Protestors and government have lost control in Kenya. We cannot afford to go that way. We have no other country but Nigeria; and we cannot allow a civil protest to spiral out of control,” OPC said.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/proposed-protest-open-borders-for-food-import-to-crash-price-opc-tells-tinubu/

GBAM!!!

treesun:
The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has called for dialogue between the government and leaders of the planned protest to highlight current economic hardships arising from the reforms initiated by President Bola Tinubu.

The organisation also urged the president to open the land borders, particularly in the Southern part of the country for the importation of food items to bring down price.


The OPC, which gave the advice in a statement, on Tuesday, by its president, Otunba Wasiu Afolabi, however, cautioned against those planning the protest and called on the protesters to embrace dialogue.

It urged President Tinubu to immediately issue an Executive Order opening up all the country’s borders in the South-West and South-South in order for rapid inflow of food that would lower prices.

“A hungry man is an angry man. The government must crash the price of food, electricity and fuel for peace to reign and for people to know that the government cares about their welfare,” it stated.


It enjoined the government to concentrate efforts on fixing the nation’s refineries to produce domestic fuel in order to solve the problem of inadequate and expensive petroleum products.


“If one man, Aliko Dangote, can build a refinery in less than 10 years, how can ordinary maintenance of four full-fledged and functional refineries become an impossible task since 1999 when civilians took over power? What is the mystery?









“Government must identify, expose and apprehend cabals and all the enemies making life unduly difficult for commoners in Nigeria. This nation belongs to all of us and Nigerians must be able to enjoy their commonwealth.”


He also called for reduction in the cost of governance, adding: “A situation where citizens are urged to tighten their belts; but politicians are living larger than life on public funds can only bring discontent and rebellion. Government must cost the cost of governance. These are austere times and the leader must also adopt austerity measures.”


The OPC also asked the police to prevent the demonstration from being hijacked by hoodlums who could use the protest for looting and mayhem.

According to the body, Nigerian leaders and protest organisers must not toe the line of Kenya, where demonstrations degenerated into a bloodbath with loss of lives and wanton destruction of property.


“Protestors and government have lost control in Kenya. We cannot afford to go that way. We have no other country but Nigeria; and we cannot allow a civil protest to spiral out of control,” OPC said.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/proposed-protest-open-borders-for-food-import-to-crash-price-opc-tells-tinubu/

The organisation also urged the president to open the land borders, particularly in the Southern part of the country for the importation of food items to bring down price.

The government should open border so farmers in other countries can find market for their labour while our own farmers stop planting because it is not worth it?

Or is it just that everyone so selfishly wants cheap food that they don't care that it exports jobs?

adeniyiemmanuel:
GBAM!!!

gbam kee u there....u didnt ur son dialogued with Jonathan?

Why are we always looking for protests instead of solutions? Open borders for food import? Sounds like another way to ruin local farmers' livelihoods. Let's focus on empowering our own agricultural sector instead of relying on imports. Tinubu has a vision, and I trust he knows what's best for Nigeria.

But our farmers are hoarding their product, creating scarcity to jack up their prices.

Philipponzaghi:
Why are we always looking for protests instead of solutions? Open borders for food import? Sounds like another way to ruin local farmers' livelihoods. Let's focus on empowering our own agricultural sector instead of relying on imports. Tinubu has a vision, and I trust he knows what's best for Nigeria.

I don't think there is need to remind him again

I noticed that those who are for and against this arguments all have some valid points but to be honest, I would have love to see PBAT do this for a while and lets see if its truly gonna have a direct impact on the cost of raw foodstuffs in the country

When dem no open am sef, things still cost. make we kukuma open am abeg

No be say na wetin go make dem begin dey sell one bag of rice for 150k be that. Risk it abeg

It's expensive to import at the moment, what will happen is dumping,where expired and substandard products will flood the market. We need another approach

Philipponzaghi:
Why are we always looking for protests instead of solutions? Open borders for food import? Sounds like another way to ruin local farmers' livelihoods. Let's focus on empowering our own agricultural sector instead of relying on imports. Tinubu has a vision, and I trust he knows what's best for Nigeria.

The government should create a conducive environment for farmers and farmers too should stop hoarding produce in order to increase profits, most of those marketers and farmers are not trustworthy.

odinaccess:
It's expensive to import at the moment, what will happen is dumping,where expired and substandard products will flood the market. We need another approach

"



Was that the case before Buhari closed the border then?
Has that being the case since 1999 to 2015?

Philipponzaghi:
Why are we always looking for protests instead of solutions? Open borders for food import? Sounds like another way to ruin local farmers' livelihoods. Let's focus on empowering our own agricultural sector instead of relying on imports. Tinubu has a vision, and I trust he knows what's best for Nigeria.

I want to be the first person to stone you and I for considering "empowering our own agricultural sector instead of relying on imports".

I propose 3 stones for myself for every one for you because you say it better than I can.

Toh, the food prices are getting out of hand. Open borders might just be the solution we need to ease the burden on our people. Let's see how Tinubu responds to this call!

Would that solve the problem or compound it? If the exchange rate in neighbouring is higher than Naira, the bigger problem arises.