Agric ministry speaks on leaked memo calling for “prayer & fasting" to end hunger

Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has confirmed that a leaked memo calling for a prayer sessions to end hunger in Nigeria is an initiative of the ministry’s Human Resource Management Department for the well-being of staff members.

Join the Premium Times WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.

Open in WhatsApp

In a statement released on Saturday by the ministry’s Assistant Director of Information, Ezeaja Ikemefuna, the ministry said the prayer session complements the pre-existing monthly aerobic exercise programme and the establishment of a gymnasium within the ministry, both of which are designed to promote physical fitness.

Earlier in the week, an internal circular dated 11 June from the ministry surfaced on social media. The memo, seen by this publication, was signed by the Director of Human Resource Management, Adedayo Modupe. It instructed all staff of the ministry—directors, deputy directors, assistant directors, and value chain desk officers—to gather for weekly spiritual sessions at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to the circular, the spiritual session is specifically scheduled to be held on 16, 23 and 30 June, urging staff to come fasting on these days to participate in a prayer initiative under the theme “Divine Intervention for Protection and National Development”.

“This is to invite all staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food to a solemn prayer session for God’s guidance and supporting the Government’s effort to achieve food security,” the circular reads.

But the ministry in its reaction said the regular medical check-ups conducted for staff are intended to support their overall health and well-being.

“The Ministry’s attention is drawn to the internal circular of the Human Resource Management Department being circulated by online media, in this regard the ministry wishes to inform that the prayer session is an initiative of Human Resource Department to address the wellbeing of the staff just as the already existing monthly aerobic exercise and establishment of the gymnasium in the ministry are for physical fitness as the regular medical check -up of staff are for their health,” the statement said.

Stay Ahead with Premium Times

Add as a preferred source on Google

The circular has generated widespread criticism among many Nigerians on social media, with many questioning the rationale behind such an initiative.

“Three day fast on Official circular ooh, with coat of arms sef and reference number. Staff are advised to come “fasting”. These are the people you have entrusted your tax to.An oil-funded joke,” an X user, Kalu Aja, wrote.

In another tweet, an X user said “Religious people have no place in politics, they have ruined our lives, they blame the devil for their own shortcomings and corruption while they tell you to pray.The organisers of that crusade will be the same people to embezzle the funds meant to elevate the people.”

Rationale

On Saturday, the statement by Mr Ikemefuna explained that the prayer was to address the apprehensiveness of staff over the recent untimely and successive death of management staff of the Ministry.

“The staff also deem it not out of place to pray for the country, hence The Theme of the Prayer Sessions “Divine Intervention for Protection and National Development’’,” it said.

Mr Ikemefuna said the initiative is not an official policy by the ministry to address agriculture and food security issues in the country, but that it is in response to the yearnings of staff who are apprehensive following the death of some of their colleagues in recent times.

“The Honourable Minister has been working assiduously to ensure food and nutrition security for the country in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration,” the statement said.

With just two years into President Bola Tinubu’s first term, Nigeria faces a hunger crisis attributed to his decision to stop fuel and foreign exchange subsidies. These policies substantially increased the costs of transportation and agricultural inputs. The soaring prices of goods and services have occurred alongside a decline in purchasing power, hitting Nigerians with a double whammy.

The high food costs have prompted multiple protests across the country.

Recently, the government rolled out new policies and initiatives to increase food production, drive down prices, and tackle the cost-of-living crisis. However, Nigerians wonder whether the price hikes can be reversed, as their hope of relief lies there.

Steps

The statement revealed some of the measures the ministry has taken to address the concerns of food inflation and hunger in the country over the past two years.

It said the ministry has taken delivery of over a thousand tractors to support farmers and had signed the commercialisation phase under the supervision of President Tinubu;

Additionally, it mentioned the Strategic Grain Reserve and Market Stabilisation of prices where about 42,000 metric tonnes of grains and additional 58,200 metric tonnes of milled rice grains were distributed.

“Also, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 2,150,000 bags of fertilizers were donated by the Central Bank of Nigeria to the Ministry. It was distributed to farmers to reduce food inflation,” the statement said.

It said the president has approved the recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) to the tune of N1.5 trillion, a historic financial intervention to scale up access to affordable finance for Nigerian farmers

READ ALSO: Midterm Review: How Nigeria’s agriculture sector fared in two years of Tinubu’s leadership

The ministry launched the National Electronic Extension platform (NEEP), a digital initiative designed to improve agricultural extension services, the statement said, among several others.

“The Ministry wishes to emphasise that the prayer session is an internal initiative of staff to address the concern over sudden deaths in the Ministry and not intended to replace or downplay the remarkable effort and achievement of the Ministry and other stakeholders in achieving food security in the Nation,” the statement added.