Amid escalating hunger and economic hardship across the country, the Federal Government, on Thursday, launched the sale of 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice at a subsidized rate of N40,000 per 50kg bag.
This initiative is aimed at mitigating the rising cost of food that has persisted for over a year.
Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, officially flagged off the sale at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, emphasizing that the intervention is part of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to addressing food insecurity.
Kyari explained, It is indeed my pleasure to welcome you all to this historical, all-important, and long-awaited flag-off of the sales of 30,000 MT of FGN milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidized rate of N40,000 per 50 kg. This kind gesture was made possible at the expense and directives of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who does not want Nigerian citizens to go to bed hungry.”
The Minister cited global challenges such as the aftermath of COVID-19, the Russian-Ukraine war, and climate change as contributing factors to distorted food prices and yields, which have impacted Nigeria. He called on citizens to recognize that the current hardships are not exclusive to the country but part of a global trend.
“This food intervention can be said to be timely considering the times and challenges we are in as citizens of this great nation,” he added.
To ensure transparency in the sale of the rice, Kyari outlined measures including a “one man, one 50kg of rice” policy and the use of National Identification Number (NIN) and phone numbers to prevent fraudulent access. He urged Nigerians to cooperate with government agencies facilitating the sales to ensure the initiative’s success.
“The Federal Government has deployed a multi-disciplinary machinery of government and put in place certain processes and conditions to ensure transparency, wider reach, and the success of this exercise,” Kyari stated.
He expressed optimism that the injection of 30,000 metric tonnes of rice into the market would not only reduce the price of rice but also drive down the cost of alternative food products.
“On behalf of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I hereby flag off the sales of the FGN-milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidized rate,” Kyari announced, urging citizens to support the government’s efforts to enhance food security.
In his final remarks, the Minister called for patience and solidarity with President Tinubu’s administration, noting that ongoing efforts to stabilize the food supply will soon begin to show results.