Clark urges Tinubu to declare state of emergency due to food shortages

Former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, on Friday, called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of food emergency due to widespread hunger and anger among Nigerians.

Speaking at his residence in Asokoro, Abuja, on Friday, Chief Clark stressed the need for urgent action, stating, “The people are starving.”

He spoke while receiving a delegation from the Host Community of Oil and Gas Producers of Nigeria (HOSTCOM), led by its president, High Chief Benjamin Tamaranebi.

While acknowledging that President Tinubu cannot be blamed for the removal of fuel subsidy, Chief Clark, who is also the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), advised the government to find practical solutions to reduce poverty. He noted that the removal of fuel subsidy has caused significant suffering to Nigerians.

“Oil subsidy is a big problem in Nigeria. Oil subsidy is not only happening in Nigeria, but everything in Nigeria is not going well because of bad management and leadership. Indeed, we all later realized that oil subsidy is a scam.”

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Chief Clark also shared his views on the history of oil subsidies in Nigeria, highlighting its challenges and previous attempts to eliminate it. He stressed the need for effective management and leadership to address the country’s problems.

“That is why in 2012, during Jonathan’s administration, in January 2012, his administration removed the oil subsidy.

“During the 2023 presidential campaign, all the major parties talked about eliminating subsidies. But in 2020 and 2021, President Buhari, as well as the Minister of Finance, Ahmed, and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, announced to Nigerians that there is no more subsidy in Nigeria,” Chief Clark said.

“We also call on the Federal Government to immediately compel international oil companies operating in the Niger Delta to start selling crude oil to the Dangote Refinery and other local refineries in Naira to reduce and possibly eliminate the importation of finished petroleum products into Nigeria.

“With the presence of refineries in Nigeria producing domestic oil, the price of petrol will come down, which will ultimately reduce inflation and hardship in the country and the prices of commodities and staple foods such as fufu, rice and garri ete will come down.”

Clark urges Tinubu to declare state of emergency over food shortages first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.