Dr Sugri Bamagne, the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, has described as absurd, the minority’s claim that the government has deployed the military to some northern parts of the country, intimidating voters rather than enforcing the ban on grain being exported out of the country.
According to him, the government’s focus is to ensure food security.
The accusation was made by James Agalga, a member of the minority in Parliament, on August 31, 2024. He claimed that the military deployment was a cover for voter intimidation under the pretext of enforcing a ban on grain exports.
But while speaking on The Big Issues on Channel One TV, the Deputy Agric Minister stressed that the government’s primary concern was to ensure that the country was well-fed, which he believes should take precedence over any other considerations.
“As we sit now because we are looking at the food security situation, it is national security. If we are not able to make ourselves food secure, then it can lead to chaos. So, I don’t know what some people are thinking.”
“I heard the minority side of parliament even talking about elections and intimidation of voters and all those things and I said while the minister is thinking of food, some people are thinking of votes. I find it a bit absurd because we have to feed ourselves before we think about any other thing,” he stated.
