Editorial: Food Security and LGA autonomy

The food security target of the Federal Government ( FG) may not make much impact except a total financial autonomy is granted to all the 774 Local Government Authorities ( LGAs) in the country  without any further delay.

It is unarguable that the bulk of the Agricutural activities on crops and livestock farming towards food security are done in the rural communities under these LGAs that are starved with funds even as the Supreme Court judgement has granted them  financial autonomy.

The impact and basic responsibilities that are supposed to be effectively handled at these levels are obviously failing due to lack of funding capacity. 

Most rural roads are not accessible to evacuate agricutural produce thereby leading to huge wastages while food prices continue to soar in the market places. Regular electricity for processing and food preservation would definitely go a long way in rescuing our farmers from hurriedly selling their produce at a give away prices in order to avoid wastages.

Expecting FG alone to make available basic social facilities at rural communities is like demanding too such when allocations have already been given for such purposes and which were being held back by the states' government overseeing these rural areas.

Checks revealed that most states where local government allocations are being allowed to be directly used do make  a huge difference in Agricutural activities and food security matters than those that theirs are held back.

The ruling of the Supreme Court is better now enforced to reduce 80% of rural -urban migration occasioned by lack of social amenities that can make economic life more meaningful to stay and create jobs at the value chains of all produce be it rice, maize, sorghum, cassava etc.

The year 2025 is full of good promises that can only be achieved if local funds are directly given to the councils for  immediate administration with full accountability towards implementation purposes.