The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy on a periodic suspension of customs duty on imported food items largely contributed to the successive reductions in the inflation rates in the country.
The CCS Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said this on Friday in Abuja at the Iftar (breaking of Ramadan fasting) Programme, of the Al-Habibiyah Islamic Society (AIS).
The programme aims to serve meals to both fasting and non-fasting Nigerians during this year’s holy month of Ramadan records no less than 3000 beneficiaries daily as part of the Ramadan Food Bank, which is part of the Food Basket Committee of the Al-Habibiyyah.
CG Adeniyi recalled that few years ago, President Bola Tinubu introduced a policy aimed at curbing inflation, which was largely driven by the removal of the fuel subsidy and the high cost of fuel and food items.
According to him, President Tinubu was such a person that what many leaders care less about, including prices of stable food and commodities, he gave a prioritized attention and sustainable actions.
He said that when Nigeria experienced a sharp rise in food inflation, President Tinubu directed the Customs Service to remove duties on imported food items to cushion the impact on citizens.
“Just over a year ago, around the advent of Ramadan before the last one, we were confronted with inflation largely driven by the high cost of fuel and food. Among other policies the President directed us to implement at that time was the suspension of customs duties on imported food items for a period of six months.
“It was a policy I was very excited to implement. And in the implementation of this policy, alongside other policies of government, we were able to tame inflation that year.
“Two quarters after that, we were able to record successive reduction in the inflation rates. And that was why our economy did not get into recession,” Adeniyi said.
He commended members of the food basket committee, including women who have been cooking the daily meals and also urged them to redouble their efforts to sustain the project.
He said, “We know how critical food is, either in breaking of a fast or in starting it. What we are doing today and what this project has been doing is to provide food for Nigerians and others who are fasting.
“From my experience, we have seen that there are so many non-Muslims who are also beneficiaries of this programme.”
On his part, the Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Maigari Ahmadu, urged well-meaning Nigerians to support the food bank programme of the Al-Habibiyyah.
“We should continue to make contributions, taking into account that the ones we do while we are alive are the ones that will sustain us when we are gone.
“It is on this note that I want to plead that we all contribute towards the Al-Habibiyyah food bank project to help Al-Habibiyyah solve logistic problems, as well as the problems of Nigeria.”
He commended the Al-Habibiyyah for the programme.
He said, “This programme may be looked upon as a small gesture, the food pack, per one person, but when you multiply it by the number of people going home well fed and taken care off, you will understand the milage being covered in reducing the problems in the society.”
He also said that the federal government had constituted a committee responsible for monitoring food prices across the country.
“On the government side, there is a committee charged with ensuring that food prices are controlled. We meet from time to time under the leadership of the National Security Adviser (NSA Nuhu Ribadu). This shows how seriously Mr. President takes the issue.
“One of the major challenges we have addressed is the issue of multiple checkpoints across the country and we were able to tackle this and this has positive effects on the economy,” he said.
The National Chief Imam of the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society (AIS), Sheik Fuad Adeyemi, noted the importance of food to tackle the problem of hunger and poverty in the country.
“I always tell people that what God loves most, that I know in the Quran, is giving food. If you can not fast during Ramadan, they will tell you to go and feed. So, even if you have committed an offence, you need to feed 60 people,” Adeyemi said.
He commended the donors for their continued support in sustaining the programme over the years, including the Comptroller-General of Customs, the State Minister for Regional Development, the Africa Director of MacArthur Foundation and the foundation, as well as other Nigerians for their contributions toward sustaining the Ramadan feeding programme.
Also speaking the Africa Director of the MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Kole Shettima, noted that feeding people during the month of Ramadan is one of the major activities of the Al-Habibiyyah and which is one of the most important acts of sadaqah (charity) and ibadah (worship) that everyone should do.
“As individuals are putting their resources to make this happen. I also hope that government can also support the organisations so that more beneficiaries can be reached, despite over 10 bags of rice being cooked every day.
“I also think this is what we can do as a country, not only during Ramadan time as there are many of our people who go hungry every day and don’t have anywhere to feed or sleep and would need to be taken care of,” Shettima said.
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