President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu has defended the decision of the Federal Government to ban all food imports into Nigeria.
Shehu claims that it remains a lovely initiative for Buhari to direct the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to release a Kobo for food and fertilizer import into the country.
“Nigerians must give consideration for the fact that the President’s directive to the CBN is driven by nothing other than a patriotic motive, ” said on Channels TV.
Shehu stated this in response to the backlashes that have continued to trail Buhari’s directive to the CBN on Thursday not to give foreign exchange for food and fertilizer imports.
“I am not sure there is anywhere in the world that the Central Bank is so independent that it will operate as foreign ownership,” the President’s spokesman said.
Part of the concern being raised by Nigerians over the directive to the CBN, is that it could cause further inflation in the country, especially as Nigeria is not sufficient in food production and still needed forex to import some food items.