Featured, Politics
By Anthony Isibor
ALTHOUGH the federal government announced that Nigerians can now purchase a 50kg bag of rice for N40,000 as against the current market price of about N80,000.
A check by Realnews shows that the N40,000 rice is not yet available and Nigerians are still waiting for the designated centres where the rice will be purchased as revealed recently by Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation.
Speaking to Reannews, a trader in the Ayobo Market in Lagos State said that many customers had been asking for the rice.
“People are ready to buy this new rice even though it is local rice.
“At the moment we have not seen it. It is not even in the market yet. Any alternative is ok for me because business has been slow, especially as the price of rice remains at N70,000,” he added.
However, recent statement by the Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, that the first batch of the sale of the 50 kilograms (kg) bag of rice for N40,000 would be for persons in the public service before it will be available to the public across the country.
According to the minister, the decision is based on the fact that public servants have an accurate data system that will ensure proper documentation of the sale of the food item, preventing any abuse of the intervention similar to what occurred during the nationwide distribution of rice.
“The bag of rice that Mr. President has directed to be sold at N40,000 will go to the public servants, especially in the first instance where you have proper data, NIN and once you buy at that, you won’t come back to buy again.
“It’s out there. For the first instance, the civil servants will be prioritized. Then there will be some that will be given to the state. You must give it to somebody, after all. This one is the first instance. It will go first to the civil servants,” Kyari said.
Another trader, Success stores told Realnews that the problem is not that the government has reduced the price of rice or released bags of rice into the markets, “how do we get them,” she asked.
“For me the Covid-19 Palliative was enough experience. The food was released but never got to us. How are we sure we can get these ones, where are the trucks of rice they sent to states? We will keep waiting. People are ready to buy, but at the moment we don’t know where the bags of rice are. We will keep waiting,” she added.
Why some Nigerians are waiting for the government to disclose the designated locations where the bags of rice can be purchased, others are wondering about the whereabouts of the 42,000 metric tonnes of grains, including maize, millet and other commodities released in February this year from the national strategic grain reserves.
President Tinubu had earlier directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to immediately release about 60,000 metric tonnes of rice into the markets during the meeting of the Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Intervention. Although Mohammed Idris disclosed that the trucks carrying the bags of rice have been released to the states, Nigerians are yet to feel the impact as the price has remained relatively the same; as citizens continue to wallow in poverty.
Ir will be recalled that a former Secretary to the Adamawa State Government and a public affairs analyst, Umar Bindir, had said during a Channels Television programme; that the distribution of palliatives in the country has failed “to alleviate poverty in Nigeria”.
According to him, poverty alleviation programmes of the federal government since the return to democracy in 1999, has failed to tackle the menace of poverty.
He said that poverty eradication needs committed government officials, who are passionate about the masses. “The federal government must have a clear and solid strategy in partnership with the states,” he added.
A.I
Aug. 8, 2024
Tags: Mohammed Idris
