Forum of former deputy governors proffer solutions to economic hardship, food insecurity

The Forum of Former Deputies Governors in Nigeria has said that entrenching good governance is key to ending economic hardship and food insecurity in the country.

This was disclosed on Thursday in a communiqué signed by the National Chairman of FFDGN, Chris Akomas, after a two-day annual conference in Abuja.

In a 16-point communiqué from the convention held Tuesday and Wednesday, the former governors noted that improving good governance and sustainable economic growth should be the pillars of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

The former governors urged that all external borrowing by the Federal Government or sub-nationals should be judiciously applied to productive activities and public infrastructure development with an impact on citizens’ standard of living.

Accordingly, the FFDGN said that consultation for economic policy by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank should be open and inclusive of all major stakeholders in Nigeria.

“Entrenching good governance is an imperative for achieving food security and sustainable growth in Nigeria as the central pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Consultation for economic policy by the IMF and the World Bank should be open and inclusive of all major stakeholders in Nigeria.

“Every effort should be made to ensure that funds from external borrowings by the Federal Government and sub-national governments should be judiciously applied to productive activities and public infrastructure development with impact on citizens’ standard of living.”

On policies to drive agricultural development, the FFDGN said the government should strive to depoliticise the sector for real-time impact on the lives of citizens.

“That government should strive to depoliticise agriculture in Nigeria by prioritising community data banks of genuine farmers in all support programs.”

The forum added that the Bank of Agriculture should be revamped to meet the yearnings of Nigerians.

“The Bank of Agriculture should be revamped to live up to its responsibilities,” it stated.

Recall that the convention under the chairmanship of former Akwa Ibom State governor, Victor Attah, was declared open by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje.

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