Ignore critics of import duty waiver on food, Oyintiloye tells Tinubu

Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, has urged President Bola Tinubu to ignore those criticising him for the suspension of tariffs and duties on the importation of food grains and other products to the country.

Oyintiloye, a former member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) said “it is either those criticising the policy are benefiting from the economic challenges that the Nigerian masses are facing or are planning to push the masses against the President by causing unnecessary unrest in the society.”

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The APC chieftain, who made the remarks, while speaking with newsmen on Sunday in Osogbo, said that Nigerians are highly hopeful and are eager to get a dividend of the democracy as quickly as possible

He, however, said that the global economic crisis, coupled with unavoidable policies introduced by the present administration, were mitigating against Renewed Hope Agenda of the president, but step taken in recent time to revamp the economy was beginning to yield desired results.

Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, said that although the tariff suspension might not be the lasting solution to the food crisis in the country, but it will cushion the effects of food crisis ravaging the country in short term, he however adding that the president should be commended for taking the bold step.

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The APC chieftain said that for the president to give relief to the consumer on certain products against Trade Policy on Import ban, it showed that his administration is responsive to the outcry of Nigerians.

It will be recalled that the Federal Government on July 8 announced the suspension of duties and tariffs on some essential food items imported through land and sea borders.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, who made this known during a press briefing in Abuja, said that the listed food items, which included maize, wheat, husked brown rice, and cowpeas, will enjoy a 150-day Duty-Free Import Window.

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 the government needed to take a bold step as the president did to address the situation.

He said, “I want to commend the bold step by the president on the tariffs suspension on the food importation.

“Although, this might not be the permanent solution to the food crisis in the country, but 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, president should be focus on how to improve the economy and lifts the country out of inherited economic quagmire and ignore the critics,” he said.