THE Federal Government of Nigeria has withdrawn its plan to sell rice at a subsidised price of N40,000 to civil servants.
It disclosed this in a circular dated August 2 and signed by the Director of Human Resources at the Ministry of Special Duty and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Aderonke Jaiyesimi.
The reason for the withdrawal was not given and no indication if the scheme was stopped or only suspended.
“I am directed to refer to our internal circular in the Ministry (Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs) of August 1, 2024, on the above subject matter and to inform you that the internal circular is hereby withdrawn. Further details will be communicated in due course.
“Please bring the contents of this internal circular to the attention of staff in your respective departments and units for their information and proper guidance,” the circular read.
Given the strain on the disposable income of many Nigerians, the surge in food prices has worsened the hardships faced by the masses and has recently resulted in the aggression of Nigerian youths to march on the streets against hunger, hardships, and bad governance.
Nigeria faces a food inflation crisis that jumped to 40.87 per cent in June, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
The subsidised rice initiative was one of several initiatives by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration planned to ease living conditions for citizens, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, had said.
In an earlier memo signed by Jaiyesimi, the ministry said the federal government’s rice subsidy was an effort to alleviate the current food crisis in the country and its effects on the general population.
“I am directed to inform you that 50kg bags of rice will be sold at subsidized rate of Thousands Naira (N40,000) only per bag to interested public servants in Abuja,” she said.
The ministry had recently said it had created centres across the country where Nigerians could purchase 50 kg bags of rice for N40,000 and had opened a Google form on the OHCSF website. https//www.ohesf.gov.ng for Nigerians to fill out.
