Buhari Under Heavy Criticism Over Ban On Forex For Food Importation

By Abimbola Johnson On Aug 14, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari has come under the attack of Nigerians over his recent directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to halt provision of foreign exchange for food importation.

Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu quoted the president as ordering the apex bank to not provide “a cent to anybody to import food into the country.”

According to the statement, the latest development is because his (Buhari) administration has achieved food security.

“We have achieved food security, and for physical security we are not doing badly,’’ he said.

But Nigerians have claimed that the ban has created scarcity of food products in the country, thereby increasing hardship on citizens.

A completely out-of-touch ‘leader’. He is cocooned away in the grandeur of @AsoRock where they serve him delicatessen and praise-sing to him: “Ranka dede Sir, your Agriculture Policy is working wonderfully. All farmers in Nigeria are now Billionaires & exporting to the US”??
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) August 14, 2019

Lol milk is scarce now in the market sef. I went to garki mkt in Abuja where i normally buy milk in bags, the whole mkt does not have even one. Those still selling their old stock in mudu have hiked their price. The ban on forex moved the price from 26k to 29k
— Onyeudo4life (@Onyeudo234) August 13, 2019

When you 'ban' what you dont produce, the consequence is scarcity.

And when food is scarce, its price goes up.

And when this happens, the poor suffer.

The poor & not the rich will suffer the consequence of Buhari's directive to CBN to halt forex for food importation. https://t.co/yYBZjyP54h
— friarsomadina (@friarsomadina) August 13, 2019

When will the President ban forex for pilgrimages? And for medical trips to see the doctors in Landan?

Oh. And forex for petroleum imports too –since it doesn't make any sense that in 2018, Nigeria made $54bn selling crude oil while spending $54bn importing refined products? https://t.co/t7oHnGO6wo
— ?? (@solomonapenja) August 14, 2019

Buhari wants to ban forex on food importation. But has he considered the ripple effects of the decision?

Has he considered that farmers would prefer to export than to sell locally, which eventually would lead to food scarcity since more money would be made exporting? ? #Nigeria
— Ayemojubar ?? (@ayemojubar) August 14, 2019

"The president directed the CBN" Isn't CBN supposed to be an autonomous entity? Its only happens in a fascist states. Besides, does my president truly believe that we are food sufficient to ban food forex?? Recession version 2.0 is looming my sincere compatriots. let say a prayer https://t.co/flCzf5M9vN
— valverde out!!!!!! ? (@mr_undercover99) August 14, 2019

Abeg ooo. Make I ask? Which country of this earth does not import food? @MBuhari What do you will will happen if You ban forex for food import. Increase in food prices or decrease in supply? Keep tightening the screws of your #NextLevelHardship
— Oghenefe (@chimakenny910) August 14, 2019

Subsistence farming cannot feed this nation first of all,its not about employing the locals,we don't even have storage facilities to keep produce ,now you brought another dimension their is also insecurity which means lower production wit all this do u think the forex ban is gud?
— Dappa Brown (@Dappab) August 14, 2019

America imports food, lol even China imports food but una Almighty fossil President wants to ban forex for the importation of food into naija. Lol
— chuksmajor (@chuksmajor) August 14, 2019

Well, 1,000MT/Ha isn’t possible for open field tomatoes as far as I know… so far we’re at 36MT/Ha. If we can reach 100 I’ll be insanely happy, but we’re still a few years (possibly many years) from those levels.

A ban on forex for all imports will hurt more ppl than it helps.
— Mira Mehta (@ShoutsAndMiras) August 14, 2019

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Nigerians are funny, with this Ban on Forex for importation of food items, people will still buy those items at expensive prices
— Adeyemi bolu (@bolumobolaji) August 14, 2019

Mr. President will ban forex for 41 items and milk and food –which are essential needs– but will retain forex for pilgrimages and for medical trips to London to see the doctors
— ?? (@solomonapenja) August 14, 2019

Fulani herdsmen have chased farmers out of their farms and taken over their farmlands.

Nigeria is the poverty capital of the world.

There is food scarcity in the country due to the fact that Fulani herdsmen are killing farmers and destroying their farmlands.

Buhari:

Ban Forex pic.twitter.com/YJreLC3Gey
— Wondy Archibong (@ArchieWonda) August 13, 2019

Buhari to CBN: ban forex for the importation of food and other house hold goods due to the excess from our farms.

Me: thank you Mr.President, please ban as well Subsidy for petroleum products, We love you sir.

Nigeria go get sense by force
— DEMAGOGUE .?senior advocat? (@von_Bismack) August 13, 2019

It seems you don't understand the meaning of being food sufficiency.
When we are still practicing subsistence farming
We are still using crude implements to farm
The govt does not have records of farmers in Nigeria
We are yet to start practicing mechanised farming at full scale.
— ABIODUN DAMMYLOLA (@Seundammylola) August 14, 2019

Words without action! That was how he told one IGP to relocate to Benue and that one didn't answer him; did anything happen after then?
— McBay (@McBay_Adebayo) August 14, 2019

However, some others have lauded the president over the forex ban on food importation.

Reacting in a tweet, former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani wrote, “the President’s directive to the CBN to stop issuance of Forex for food importation is the right step forward.

“It will boost food production at home.

“Next is to hand over Agric financing to the Bank of Agriculture & not CBN & protect farmers from Kidnappers.”

See other tweets below:

@CITY1051 I salute you Distinguished Jide, @MBuhari dont just ban forex for food importation, ban forex for everything foreign let us for ones put this your integrity into tests. #TopicalIssues
— Emmanuel Iheme (@iheme_emmanuel) August 14, 2019

Try read and understand Bros, the man did not ban importation of food, in simple tense " if you must import food source your Forex elsewhere but not from CBN" how is that a problem?
— Tijanja (@tijanjaOfficial) August 14, 2019

He's passionate about growing the Nigeria economy, hence forex ban on several products

He's sensitive to ethic and tribal issues, hence his call for calm in the face of violence done by one group against another while taking square action when violence is not inter-tribal
— Celina (@Spearszed) August 13, 2019

Buhari directs CBN to halt forex for food importation. I'm waiting for our Twitter Mummy, Oby Ezeks to twist the directive of the President as food importation ban.
— ??Ugochi Jane Trumpet?? (@UgochiJaneTrump) August 14, 2019

Buhari didn't ban food importation. He simply said if you want to import food you should source your forex from anywhere but the CBN (by extension the banks). Let's not confuse forex restrictions with outright ban
— New Nigeria (@Green_rebel234) August 14, 2019

CBN CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA Food Importation FOREX GARBA SHEHU