Former Anambra state governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has said that while Egypt import grains from Ukraine as a business, Nigeria received grains from Ukraine as an emergency donation to fight hunger epidemic due to economic mismanagement.
He added that while Egypt ranks 57th, in Global Hunger Index, Nigeria ranks 109th, out of 125 countries measured.
Obi on his X on Tuesday, said: “After my comments on the embarrassing grain assistance which Nigeria received from a war-torn Ukraine, some government spinners in defence tried throwing up a comparison pointing at Egypt which also got grain from Ukraine.
“In my remarks, I stated that such an offer, though aimed at ameliorating the impact of the food crisis in Nigeria, remains awkward to the nation, considering that we, as a nation with more fertile lands and a working population, now receive aid from a war-ravaged nation like Ukraine.
“Egypt was particularly mentioned, by the spinners, to have received the same grains from Ukraine long before Nigeria did (September last year).
“And that Egypt is still dependent on Ukraine for its wheat and much of its fertilizer needs.
“It is important to clarify that over the years, Egypt imports 60 percent of its grains, out of which about 22 percent is from Ukraine.
“The imported grain provides half the flour that goes into a subsidized bread program that feeds some 72 million Egyptians daily.
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“Egypt, therefore, just enjoys a business relationship with their grain supplier, Ukraine, whereas, in the case of Nigeria, it was an emergency donation to help us fight a hunger epidemic that has resulted from economic mismanagement.
“To illustrate further, on the Global Hunger Index, Egypt ranks 57th, while our dear nation ranks 109th, out of 125 countries measured.
“So, while Egypt has a hunger level considered moderate, Nigeria is in the league of 20 hungriest countries in the world, with a hunger level considered serious.
“Egypt, without facing severe hunger, and not in the list of hungriest nations, exported over $9 billion of agricultural products in 2023.
“May I also point out that our grains donor, Ukraine, still maintains a hunger level considered low, with a ranking of 44th on the global hunger index, 7th highest grain producer, exporting almost $23 billion, despite years of war.
“The situation is actually painful because we have all it takes to even surpass Ukraine in grain production if we were a more serious and productive nation.
“The vast arable lands in the North, if put into productive use, will not only give us sufficient food for local consumption, but even the surplus for export. A new Nigeria is possible,” he added.
