Kogi Governor shows leadership, wades into North, South food crisis »

…as Amalgamated Union of food stuff and cattle dealers agrees to call off strike.

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello alongside Former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani Kayode has waded into ongoing food shortage crisis particularly in parts of the South western region caused by a now suspended strike action by Amalgamated Union of Food Stuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria and Northern Consensus Movement

The Group after its deliberations on Wednesday with Governor Bello, Chief Femi Fani Kayode and other stakeholders through its President, Alhaji Mohammed Tahir, alongside Chairmen of the Union from 36 states of the country announced that the strike was now suspended and supply of commodities should resume in the southern region

The President while briefing the Press commended Governor Bello for wading into the crisis and ensuring it was resolved noting that the Governor has demonstrated leadership which both parties greatly appreciated.

He expressed that the resolutions reached at the meeting and the assurances given by Kogi State Governor as well as other stakeholders to meet their demands were assuring enough hence the need to suspend the lingering strike

Governor Bello had earlier in the meeting thanked the northern people for not carrying out reprisal attacks in the face of several events that happened in the southern part of the country stating that they were lawful business owners that the government holds the responsibility to protect.

He alluded that a problem identified was a problem solved as long as there was the political will, assuring that the southern region had expressed similar political will hence the current crisis would get a long lasting solution.

The Governor noted that several efforts made so far included deliberations with stakeholders in the south and pointing out to them that the Hausa Fulani and Hausa traders were not the problems but rather they themselves alongside affected innocents northerners were victims alike.

The Governor added that they have in the past few days through collective efforts secured the commitment and assurance of those in the southern region that they would not attack Northerners engaging in their lawful businesses in their regions and vowed to also protect them from their collective enemies when need arises.

He opined that the strike action caused enormous hardship for the common Nigerian as the price of these goods hiked high in the southern region
while these goods which are perishable were damaged in the north adding that the very small individuals that sets these fire were not in any ways affected owing to their affluence

While promising that all stakeholders from the top and across all regions would be carried along in seeking a lasting solution to such occurrence he noted that no Governor of a state belonging to any political party would desire crisis within their territory adding that Nigeria’s Unity was non-negotiable.