200m People Cannot Rely On Importing Food – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said Nigeria cannot depend on food importation before the people would be fed.

He also restated the commitment of his administration to creating jobs for the youthful population across the country.

The President made the remarks during an audience with the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Guy Ryder, at the State House in Abuja.

He stressed that it was simply impossible to continue to import food with the size of the population the nation has.

“In the last four years, this government prioritised agriculture, housing and infrastructure development,” President Buhari was quoted as saying in a statement by his media adviser, Mr Femi Adesina.

He added, “Our focus in these areas was to create jobs today and ensure peace and equitable prosperity for future generations.

“On agriculture, it was simple; a country with a population of close to 200 million has to be able to feed itself. We cannot rely on importing food.”

The President also told the ILO chief that his administration had “attacked head-on the big deficit in power, roads, bridges, rails and housing … in order to ensure adequate housing is available today and for many years to come.”

He attributed some of the achievements of his administration so far to consultations before taking critical decisions affecting the labour force.

President Buhari said, “Our achievements to date were as a result of strategic fiscal and monetary policy decisions. In some instances, we partnered with stakeholders such as the labour unions – a good example was during the African Continental Free Trade Agreement review and the National Minimum Wage negotiations.

“This consultative approach aligns with the vision of the ILO to keep communications open, create jobs, ensure social justice and eliminate worker exploitation.”

The President used the opportunity to congratulate the international organisation on its 100th year anniversary.

Earlier, Mr Ryder told President Buhari that he was in Nigeria to attend the Global Youth Employment Forum where over 60 countries have gathered to address practically the most pressing challenge of finding decent jobs for young people.

He also expressed the commitment of the organisation to existing partnership and cooperation with Nigeria.

“We have worked with the Labour Ministry to prepare employment policies about youth employment, migration safety and health productivity.

“The focus is the practical implementation of these plans,” the ILO chief said.