The Chairman, Oyo State Pilgrims Welfare Board (Muslim Wing) Sheikh Hashim Atere, has declared that the current economic hardship in the country was caused by neglect of agriculture and locally made products among the citizens.
Atere made this declaration while delivering the 6th annual Shina Peller sponsored Ramadan lecture of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Oyo State Council.
The event held on Saturday at NUJ Secretariat, Iyaganku Ibadan was attended by a former Deputy of the state, Barrister Azeem Gbolarumi, the host, Hon. Shina Abiola Peller, Hon. Sina Oyedeji, Hon. Adebayo Adepoju, Bayo Busari.
Atere, while speaking on the topic, “Ramadan: Spirits of sharing and caring as panacea for hardship”, said that many Nigerians have neglected agriculture which is causing food scarcity in the country.
He added that most Nigerians are patronising foreign goods at the expense of locally made products, which is causing them more money.
He added that one of the solutions to reduce the hardship is for the citizens to have a change of mindset by embracing agriculture and patronise locally made products.
“If we are talking about hardship, it was not caused by the government. Nobody want to patronise locally made products.
“We have neglected agricultural sector. We do not have farmers again especially here in the South West. We have used all the lands to build estates.
“We want to eat eggs, but we don’t rear hens. The hardship was caused by neglect of agriculture. We are the ones causing the hardship. Let us eat locally made foods and stop depending on foreign goods.”
