Economic hardship: Senate asks FG to introduce food stamps

The senate has asked the federal government to cushion rising food prices by introducing food stamps.

Food stamps are government-issued tickets sold at little costs or given to low income persons. They are exchanged for food.

The resolution of the upper legislative chamber was sequel to a motion sponsored by Ali Ndume, chief whip of the senate.

Moving his motion on Tuesday, Ndume said the food stamps could serve as an interim measure to avoid the “imminent” food insecurity in the country.

“Introduction of food stamps in Nigeria as an interim measure to address imminent food insecurity in the country,” the Borno south senator said.

The whip said going by a report, about 26.5 million Nigerians are expected to grapple with high levels of food insecurity by 2024.

The senator said countries like the US have been using food stamps since the 1930s to bridge the food shortage gap for low-income earners.

“The reason for the above projection is not far-fetched, as several indicators, which include but not limited to the ongoing conflicts across the country, climate change impacts, escalating inflation as witnessed in recent times, and rising costs of both food and essential non-food commodities, due to fall in the value of the naira in the exchange market,” he said.

“Many hungry and angry Nigerians have been expressing their frustrations and anger over the recent increase in food prices by demonstrating on the streets in several cities across the country.”

The motion was adopted after it was put to a voice vote by Barau Jibrin, deputy senate president.