RIGHT TO FOOD BILL VERY KEY TO FOOD SECURITY IN NIGERIA SAYS EXPERT

EMMANUEL UKUDOLO I Friday, June 29, 2018

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Chairman Voice for Food Security, (VFS) Professor Gbolagade Ayoola , a professor of Agricultural Economics and Policy has warned that Nigeria will only come out of its protracted food insecurity situation, if and only if the government of the day puts food security on top of its policy agenda and practices.

Professor Ayoola made the observation at a press briefing to drum up support for the Right to Food Bill currently pending before the Standing Committees on Human Rights in both chambers of the National Assembly.

Tracing the origin of the bill, the professor of agricultural economics and policy said that in 2010, during the sixth Assembly (2007-2011), the bill sponsored by Hon. Makanjuola (Kwara State), was presented to effect amendment of Chapter 2 of the constitution after a memoranda was presented to the two National Assembly Committees on Constitution Reform in 2008.

He said the Bill passed the First Reading only before the end of that Assembly.

“Next in 2012, during the seventh Assembly (2011-2015) we proceeded to Senate with another Draft Bill, this time to amend chapter 4 of the constitution, sponsored by Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nassarawa State). That Bill suffered the same fate with the earlier one, passing the First Reading only before the end of that Assembly.

“Last in 2016, during the present eighth Assembly (2015-2019), we reentered the National Assembly through the two chambers, House and Senate, with a single combined Bill to amend Chapter 2 and Chapter 4 of the constitution together and simultaneously. This strategy worked and the Bill has moved fast enough to pass the First and Second Reading and now before the Standing Committees on Human Rights in both chambers, where it is stalled since that time!”, he exclaimed.

He explained that the (1999) Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, notes unequivocally that security of life is paramount to the business of government as a matter of both law and duty.

Professor Ayoola explained that in partnering with government to do its business, VFS believes that food security in Nigeria can only be guaranteed, if and only if food right to food exists in the country.

“That is, life without food security is coarse and brutish, for all intents and purposes not worth living. Thus without mincing words the sole purpose of Government, and rationale behind its policies is to make life worth living for the people; but which is definitely not the case about food security since independence about six decades ago”, he pointed out hence the need to launch its flagship project – National Campaign on Right to Food, in 2008, with a focus on promotion of a Bill on Right to Food at the National Assembly.

He explained that VFS has struggled with legislators for so long without getting the Bill passed hence the need to give it a more aggressive media exposure and push.

“In this venture we are not acting alone. We are acting in collaborating with like-minded partner-organizations in coalition with the Voices for Food Security (VFS), an 18-member strong entity working in the agricultural sector; also in association with the ‘The Rural Environmental Empowerment Initiative’ (T.R.E.E), an organization concerned with food security environment with particular reference to social media advocacy.

“Our joint goal is generally to bring the issue of Right to Food to the front burner of policy and law making in this country; and specifically to present the sense of urgency we presently feel in getting the Bill passed at the National Assembly NOW!”, he said.