Lawan: There’ll be mass protest if food prices keep rising

Ahmad Lawan, a former president of the senate, says there will be mass protest if the three arms of government do not work together to reduce food prices and high electricity tariffs.

Lawan was contributing to a debate on a motion sponsored by Sunday Karimi, senator representing Kogi west.

Karimi’s motion was on the need to tackle “food insecurity”.

The former senate president said Nigerians must not be taken for granted in the face of worsening economic hardship.

“If we don’t take urgent actions on increased food prices and electricity tariffs, we will not like the actions we will see on the streets,” Lawan said.

“We cannot take the people for granted for too long.”

Earlier, the Kogi west senator said prices of food staples have risen by over 300 percent, following the removal of subsidy on petrol.

“Insecurity in food-producing regions, bad roads, increase in the cost of transportation attributable to the removal of fuel subsidy and depreciation of the value of the naira, are possible factors that have contributed to the increase in prices of food items, household commodities,” he said.

“The greater percentage of the increase in prices of food items and consumables is not only due to these factors but to the zest of the merchants, traders, and retailers to make supernormal profits.”

The senate asked the relevant government ministries and agencies to tackle the problem.

The motion was adopted after it was put to a voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.