The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has urged the federal government to set up a joint palliative monitoring and implementation committee in all states to ensure smooth and equal distribution of palliatives to farmers and other beneficiaries.

Femi Oke, AFAN’s chairman in Lagos state and the South-West zone told newsmen on Tuesday in Lagos that there was an urgent need to set up the committee.

Mr Oke said that the release of N5 billion to state governors for procurement and distribution of palliatives to citizens required adequate monitoring to prevent diversion and ensure accountability.

On Aug. 17, the federal government announced that it had approved N5 billion for each of the 36 states of the federation for the procurement of food items and fertilisers as part of efforts to alleviate sufferings associated with fuel subsidy removal in the country.

Mr Oke said: “We are thinking that a committee should be set up that will consist of federal, state, and local government representatives so as to monitor the implementation.

“That is what we are thinking, and we believe that in every state, our governors should also form a committee to include community leaders, traditional rulers, and religious heads to monitor the implementation process.

“Like I always say, most of our farmers are based in the villages, which are close to the local governments; definitely, at that level, the leaders will be able to identify farmers within their communities and also the vulnerable.

“As of today, everybody is vulnerable. There is nobody that you will ask today who is not feeling the impact of the fuel subsidy removal.

“We recommend that the palliative should be distributed evenly and equally to all citizens. Nobody should be left out.

“The committee should be set up appropriately by bringing together agricultural commodity associations’ heads in communities as well as traditional leaders to form a comprehensive committee,” he said.

Mr Oke urged the new minister of agriculture and food security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, to focus on smallholder farmers since they formed the largest percentage of farmers.

The AFAN chairman said that smallholder farmers contributed much to food production and food security in the country and should be empowered.

He urged the minister to support smallholder farmers with finance, inputs, mechanisation, solar-powered irrigation systems, and new technologies.

“The minister has spoken well in his inaugural speech about tackling hunger, and we believe he will implement all the things we have highlighted above,” he said.

(NAN)