Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has alleged that certain ministers are incapable of meeting with President Bola Tinubu to discuss critical national issues.
The Borno lawmaker made these remarks during an interview with Newsmen.
Ndume highlighted that the government’s failure to address the challenges of hunger, hardships, and insecurity poses a significant obstacle.
“The primary issue with this administration is its lack of accessibility, to the extent that even some cabinet members are unable to have an audience with the President, let alone members of the National Assembly, who are deprived of the opportunity to engage with him and deliberate on matters affecting their constituents, “Ndume expressed.
In a related development, Senator Sunday Steve Karimi has introduced a motion to tackle the food crisis in the nation.
The legislator pointed out that the World Food Programme has issued a warning that 82 million Nigerians may confront food insecurity in the coming five years.
The senator indicated that the motion’s objective is to bring the government’s attention to the severity of the food crisis impacting numerous Nigerians.
He raised concerns that without prompt government intervention, the situation could potentially escalate into famine and starvation, particularly among vulnerable children.
“We seek to alert the government to the reality that Nigeria is grappling not only with exorbitant living costs but also food scarcity.”
“We implore the President to address the issue of high living costs and food shortages,” he emphasized.
He cited the example of Katsina State, where children are already experiencing malnutrition as a result of food scarcity.
Furthermore, he referenced the dire situations in Niger Republic and South Sudan, where children are perishing due to starvation.
“We have witnessed the tragedies in Niger Republic and South Sudan, where children are perishing from starvation, and we are beginning to see similar signs in Nigeria, Senator Ndume,” the senator remarked.
While urging the government to take immediate action in addressing the food crisis, including engaging with experts and stakeholders to devise solutions, he expressed disappointment at the lack of concrete steps taken by the government to tackle the issue, despite its assurances.
“What we urge the government to do is to collaborate with experts and stakeholders to devise a resolution to this crisis. We implore the government to take decisive action, lest they overlook the fact that Nigeria is contending with both skyrocketing prices and a severe food shortage.”
“We dread the prospect of a day when even individuals with the financial means to purchase food may find the markets devoid of essential supplies,” he concluded.
