Tough Times: FG Donates Rice To 36 States, FCT

BY BLESSING NKEREUWEM – The palliatives jamboree from the Federal Government is continuing with 20 trucks of rice donated to each of the 36 State governors and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for onward distribution to Nigerians towards alleviating the current economic hardship in the country.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who dropped the hints, said the rice is meant for the most vulnerable Nigerians.

Addressing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday, the Minister said the President Bola Tinubu-led administration remains committed to ensuring Nigerians have food on their table.

Amid complaints about rising inflation and hardship, the Minister said having taken notice of the concerns raised by Nigerians, FEC has directed the Presidential Committee on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to expedite action to cushion the suffering of Nigerians, especially in the transportation sector.

According to him; “After exhaustive deliberation, the Minister of Agriculture had earlier been directed to ensure that food is being made available to Nigerians.

“And the understanding is that about 20 trucks of rice has already been supplied to each of the states of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Each of the trucks of course is carrying about 1,200 25kg bags of rice.

“This is part of the measures that government is taking in addition to so many others to ensure that the hardship being experienced by Nigerians is drastically ameliorated.

“Each of the state governments has received 20 trucks of rice for onward distribution to the most vulnerable.

“This is a first step and the federal government will continue to support all the state governors and local governments, all the sub nationals, so that the hardship been experienced by most Nigerians in terms of shortage of food supply is breached.”

The Information Minister further explained thus; “It is expected that the state governors will go ahead and distribute this food item to the most vulnerable. So that the hardship like I said been experience will be brought down significantly.”

On the much awaited Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Vehicles, Idris said; “There is also a discussion on the CNG that the federal government has promised Nigerians. The Federal Executive Council has directed the presidential Committee on CNG to expedite its activities to supply buses, to also make it possible for the conversion kits to be available to most Nigerians.

“Already they have started but the federal executive council asked them to redouble their effort. So that conversion kits that we need for the CNG will be made available.

“Also the conversion centers that had earlier been approved will also be significantly upgraded so that Nigerians will have more conversion centers, more conversion kits.

“The Federal government has directed this should go up, so as to reduce our over reliance on PMS. And this will in turn also aid our energy transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy.”

Also, he said FEC appreciated the worries by most Nigerians, “in terms of transportation, in terms of food prices or food shortages in many homes around the country and the federal executive council is ramping up all that needs to be done to ensure that food is being put on the table of most Nigerians.

“All the governors have already taken delivery of the rice and the government will continue to work to ensure that food intervention is made available”, adding; “This of course is an addition to the effort that government is making in terms of fertilizer supply which is already also being processed. Most of the governors will also have support.”

Furthermore, the Minister mentioned that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had earlier made available over 2.1 million bags of assorted fertilizer to the Ministry of Agriculture for onward distribution to the states”, adding; “So, that is also in progress.”