Oyintiloye asks Tinubu to ignore critics of food import waiver

Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a 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, duties and taxes on imported foodstuffs. 

Oyintiloye said those criticising the policy are either benefitting from the country’s economic challenges or are planning to push the masses against the president.

On July 8, the federal government suspended duties, tariffs and taxes on imported food commodities.

Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security, said a 150-day duty-free import window for food commodities will be enforced as part of measures to curb food inflation.

Speaking to journalists on Sunday in Osogbo, Oyintiloye said Nigerians are yearning for the dividends of democracy.

The chieftain said although the tariff suspension might not be the lasting solution to the food crisis in the country, it will cushion the effects in the short term.

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

“Although, this might not be the permanent solution to the food crisis in the country, 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 order to achieve this and many others, president should be focused on how to improve the economy and lift the country out of inherited economic quagmire and ignore the critics.

“I strongly believe that with all the interventions government has put in place to tackle food crisis in the country, the projection of the Minister of agriculture and food security, Abubakar Kyari, that government will crash food prices in the next 180 days is achievable.”

Oyintiloye encouraged governments at all levels to aggressively pursue efforts to make food available.