It’s a National Disgrace to Receive Grains Donation From ‘War-Torn’ Ukraine – Peter Obi
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi has expressed disappointment on the federal government body language at recieving grain donation from Ukraine
Obi, a former governor of Anambra state said it was a national disgrace for Nigeria to receive grain donations from war-torn Ukraine to feed Nigerians.
Recall Government of Ukraine on Thursday 29th February , 2024, delivered a generous donation of 25,000 tons of wheat to Nigeria to help provide emergency food assistance to 1.3 million crisis-affected people in northeast Nigeria.
The shipment was made possible following a collaborative effort from the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Luxembourg, Norway, Republic of Korea and Sweden, which has helped cover the costs of transporting the wheat from Ukraine to Nigeria and its distribution to the families who so urgently need it.
Reacting in a post made via his X handle on Monday, March 4, 2024, Obi said; for Nigeria to overcome this embarrassment, the country must aggressively reorder our priorities by investing resources in productive sectors like agriculture.
This national disgrace stems from years of leadership failure, necessitating urgent reflection and a reordering of our national priorities and resource management and allocation”.
“However, a situation like this underscores vigorously the importance of sound political leadership as the first concrete requirement for any nation desiring to develop and enhance the standard of living of its citizenry.
“It is disheartening that our once economically confident nation, blessed with vast arable land and abundant natural resources, now relies on a war-torn Ukraine for food assistance.
“This national disgrace stems from years of leadership failure, necessitating urgent reflection and a reordering of our national priorities and resource management and allocation. Instructively, Ukraine, with a population of 43 million on 603,728 km2, outshines Northern Nigeria, covering 744,249 km2 with a young, energetic population exceeding 100 million. In 2015, Ukraine’s GDP per capita was $2125, compared to Nigeria’s $2680.
“By 2022, despite being at war, Ukraine’s GDP per capita exceeded $4000, while Nigeria’s regressed to $2184. Ukraine cultivates over 60% of its arable land, whereas Nigeria has over 60% uncultivated arable land.
“Despite the conflict, Ukraine feeds itself, and exports agricultural products worth over $ 25 billion which is about the same value as our crude oil export earnings, and it serves as a strategic global food supplier, even providing aid to a peaceful yet unproductive Nigeria. To overcome this embarrassment, we must aggressively reorder our priorities by investing resources in productive sectors like agriculture.
“Addressing insecurity is crucial for farmers to return to their fields, enabling a productive manufacturing sector and supporting small businesses.
