CITIZENS COMPASS–The Federal Government of Nigeria on Monday, July 29, 2024, announced plans to sell a 50kg bag of rice at N40,000.
It said it has commenced the distribution of an extra 10 trucks containing 50kg bags of rice to every state.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this while briefing correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
He said the Government had provided 10 trucks of rice to each state aimed to alleviate poverty and combat the high cost of living.
He said, “And the position of the FEC is that most of the demands that the protesters are making are actually being addressed by the federal government and therefore it is the view of the government that there is no need for the protests again because most of those things that the protesters are putting forward are already actually been addressed or are being addressed by government and like we have said repeatedly, this is a listening government.
“The President has listened to the voices of all those who are planning this protest. And the message is that there is no need for it.
“Indeed, the President is already protesting on their behalf by doing those things that they want a government to do, for example, the effort that government is making, in ensuring that food is being made available.“At the last Council meeting here at the briefing, we announced that several trucks 20 precisely had been given to the state governors for onward distribution to those who were actually In need of them to the poorest of the poor in society, and those who are actually in need, but the government did not stop there there is also a rice that is being sold at about 50% of its cost, a bag of rice is being sold at N40,000 as we speak now.
“This rice has been taken to various centers across all the states of the federation, and is being sold at 40,000 Naira, centers have been created. So that those who need this rice can go there and buy this rice at 40,000 naira
“In the first instance, about 10 trucks have been made available to each of these states and indeed, this is just the beginning. I know that some of the comments you hear are that it is never enough. The Government has not pretended that these supplies are indeed enough. But these are necessary first steps that are being made and more of such interventions are being made in the interim.”
