The Federal Government has begun selling 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidized rate of N40,000 per 50-kilogram bag.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, launched the initiative on Thursday in Abuja.
He stated that the sale would be conducted nationwide, noting that the intervention is timely given the current challenges facing the country.
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“This food intervention can be said to be timely considering the times and challenges we are in as citizens of this great nation.
“It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this historical, all-important and long-awaited inauguration of the sales of 30,000MT of Federal Government milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidised rate of N40,000 per 50 kilogramme.
“This kind gesture was made possible at the expense and directives of President Bola Tinubu, who does not want Nigerians citizens to go to bed hungry; and in his wisdom deemed, it important to initiate this food intervention.”
Mr. Kyari highlighted that the global food supply chain has been disrupted by the aftermath of COVID-19, the Russian-Ukraine war, and climate change, with Nigeria being no exception.
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He acknowledged the potential challenges of distributing a crucial staple like rice during this period.
To address these challenges, the Federal Government has implemented a comprehensive strategy to ensure transparency and success in the rice distribution.
Each individual is allowed to purchase one 50kg bag of rice, and the verification process will involve using identification methods such as the National Identification Number (NIN) and phone numbers to prevent fraud and ensure fair access for all eligible citizens.
“In view of the above, I urge our dear citizens to cooperate with the relevant agencies of government who will try to serve you to achieve this great initiative of government.
“It is expected that with the injection 30,000MT (1000 trucks of 30MT each of this important staple into Nigeria food balance sheet.
“It will not only crash the price of rice but also other closer food substitutes and alternatives,” he said.
In a goodwill message, Dr. Mariya Bunkure, Minister of State for the FCT, emphasized that the event was a significant step toward improving the wellbeing of Nigerians.
She highlighted that the 30,000 metric tonnes of rice reflect the federal government’s commitment to ensuring food security.
Dr. Haruna Sule, Director of the Strategic Grains Reserve at the Ministry of Agriculture, stated that civil servants could access the rice at the point of sale using their Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) numbers along with their National Identification Number (NIN).
He also mentioned that the general public could use their NIN to obtain the rice.
“Once you have any of these three, you present it to the sales operators and it is logged on the platform that has been created.
“After this, you proceed to pay electronically with your ATM; once the payment is done, it is linked to the initial sales operator and it shows that you have paid; then a receipt will be issued with a code number.
“With this code number, you will be issued with a treasury receipt to show you have paid to government.
“Then, you are given a receipt which shows point of collection and time of collection; this is to eliminate any form of stampede.
“The point of collection is different from the point of sales and when you get to the collection point, you present your code to our officials and you will be given a bag of rice.
“We intend to have about five to six sales points across Abuja and the duration of the distribution will be for the period they are able to finish sales,” he said.
Mr. Sule stated that the distribution would take place nationwide.
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