A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has advised President Bola Tinubu to ignore those criticising his government’s recent decision to temporarily suspend tariffs on imported grains and other essential food items.

Mr Oyintiloye, a member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council commended Mr Tinubu for taking the decision to address food security concerns in the country and drive down the cost of living.

The APC chieftain, who made the remarks, while speaking with journalists on Sunday in Osogbo, said that Nigerians were highly hopeful and eager to get dividends of the democracy in a short-time.

According to him, it is either those criticising the policy are benefiting from the current economic challenges, or planning to push the masses against the President by causing unrest in the country.

He noted that the global economic crisis coupled with unavoidable policies introduced by the present administration were affecting the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Mr Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, said that although the tariff suspension might not be the lasting solution to the food crisis in the country, he added that it would cushion its effects in the short term.

He said that for the President to give relief to consumers on certain products against Trade Policy on Import ban, showed that his administration was responsible and responsive to the outcry of Nigerians on the issue of food inflation.

Recall that the Federal Government on July 8 announced the suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes on some essential food items imported through land and sea borders.

Mr Oyintiloye said that the latest data released by the National Bureau of Statistics that the food inflation in the country rose to 40.66 per cent in May from 40.53 per cent in April, was a signal that government needed to take a bold step as the President did to address the situation.

“I want to commend the bold step by the President on the tariffs suspension on food importation. Although, this might not be the permanent solution to the food crisis in the country, it will go a long way in ameliorating the situation.

“The President should ignore the criticism by those who see nothing good in the decision. Nigeria voted for good governance, high standard of living, and in other to achieve this and many others, the President should focus on how to improve the economy and lifts the country out of inherited economic quagmire and ignore the critics.’’

Mr Oyintiloye, who noted that agriculture remains a cornerstone of Nigerian life, said the government should not relent in its aggressive efforts to make food available in abundance.

The APC chieftain urged government at all levels to jettison the old subsistence system of farming, storing and processing, and embrace mechanised systems of farming

Mr Oyintiloye equally said the government should empower and encourage farmers with soft loans and subsidise farming implements for genuine farmers, provide adequate security, and integrate the youth into agriculture systems.

He said, “I strongly believe that with all the interventions the government has put in place to tackle the food crisis in the country, the projection of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, that the government will crash food prices in the next 180 days is achievable.”

(NAN)