The Federal Government has sold milled rice to journalists and staff of various media organisations in Kaduna at a subsidised rate of N40,000.00 per 50-kg bag.
The exercise, according to the Federal Government, aimed to alleviate the prevailing food crisis and cushion the effects of the high cost of food commodities in the country.
The media outlets were allocated 149 bags, and every buyer was screened by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to ensure transparency and accountability.
Aside from media personnel, civil servants from different ministries and associations also received allocations at their respective offices.
All buyers accessed the grains from the Point of Sale (POS) using their Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and National Identification Number (NIN).
Speaking on behalf of media organisations in Kaduna, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, Hajiya Asma’u Yawo Halilu, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for subsidising the rice at N40,000.00 per bag.
Halilu stated, “Comparing this price to the soaring market price, one has no option but to thank the government for the supply of the rice.”
She, however, advised that the government should make the exercise continuous “so that people who did not get to buy in the initial exercise will get the opportunity to buy.”
It would be recalled that the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, earlier revealed in Abuja during the flag-off of the distribution exercise that this gesture was initiated under the directives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, “who does not want Nigerian citizens to go to bed hungry, and in his wisdom deemed it important to initiate the food intervention.”
The Minister noted that in the recent past, particularly after COVID-19 and due to factors such as the Russian-Ukraine war and climate change, food prices, farm yields, and food supply chains were disrupted globally, and Nigeria was no exception.
He said, “This has led to increased concerns and risks of food insecurity and a general decline in the standard of living globally.”
The Minister stressed that the present challenges are not unique to Nigeria, adding that the food intervention was timely considering the current times and challenges faced by citizens of the nation.
He explained that the Federal Government, aware of the potential challenges associated with selling an important staple like rice during this critical period, had implemented a multidisciplinary approach and set processes to ensure transparency, broad reach, and the success of the exercise.
He said, “This includes one person being allowed to purchase one 50kg bag of rice. Verification of intending beneficiaries using relevant identification mediums such as the National Identification Number (NIN) and phone numbers was also implemented to prevent multiple access to the food commodity by fraudulent individuals to the detriment of other citizens.”
He urged citizens to cooperate with relevant government agencies to achieve the administration’s vision of upholding the fundamental right to food for all Nigerians.
The Minister further stated, “It is expected that with the injection of 30,000MT (1,000 trucks of 30MT each) of this important staple into Nigeria’s food balance sheet, it will not only crash the price of rice but also that of other related food substitutes and alternatives.”
