Nigeria food palliative program -my take

 

As an economist,I have come to realize that certain  bulldog economic policies are rendered toothless in Africa, especially  my dear native land .

Thus ,there is need to look inward and try something different from the conventional means  such as using  our hands to share the cake instead of calculator that cannot differentiate the son from  the uncle !

My thought and conceived subsidy policy with regards to our present subsidy hullabaloos is as below 

1.POLICY  :Food Supply policy 

2.AGENCY : Establishment of a  protem Food Supply Agency  that will provide stapllefood for the poor at subsidized rate 

 3.PROCEDURE : a)The food  e-card is attached to BVN  at registration with  purchase via bank account ranges from #5,000 to #10,000 maximum in 48hours  

b) Institutions, firms and organizational names must be  FORBIDDEN on the biometric/ account list 

 c) Cash purchase via e-card is also attached to biometric at registration and restricted to maximum of  #10,000 in 48hrs 

DIRECT CASH PURCHASE IS TO BE TREATED AS CRIMINAL ACT 

No group purchase ,No contractual nor intermediary supplies.All purchases are PERSONAL 

4.SCOPE : Coverage depends on the funding as below :

Note : Basic staple food only are to be involved : rice ,maize ,millet and beans for easy management.

# State basis = 36 centres plus Abuja 

# Senatorial basis = 109 centres 

# LG basis = 774 centres 

The centres must not be politically situated rather at the needy or THE POOREST OF POOR AREAS 

States and local government should be encouraged to take up  responsibility of providing alongside this line within their capacities.

5.MONITORING:

 a)Use of monitoring purchasers 

b) Regular sales check of the sales centres acounts  from the central  account/ control  comparing  to each centre supplies etc 

Certainly, every program will have it's shortcomings but the need to take a different step is inevitable.

 No human being is bad but the man in him !