Tinubu Palliative: Anxiety as 740 trucks of rice fail to arrive most states

Only a few states appear to have received the 20 trucks of rice palliative earmarked for each of the 36 states by the Federal Government and the issue is causing anxiety.

A survey at the weekend shows no northern state apart from Kano had received the consignment of rice while in the South-West, only Oyo claimed that the trucks had arrived.

 

In the South-South, Akwa–Ibom, Rivers, and Bayelsa States’ officials confirmed receiving the latest palliative while others said they had not arrived.

 

Delta State government said the rice had not been received as of Friday noon while Edo and Cross River States’ officials did not respond to inquiries.

 

The Federal Government had, last Monday, said it had allocated 740 trucks of rice to the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

 

Each state including the FCT, under the arrangement, is expected to get 20 trucks containing 1,200 bags of 25kg each and the rice is to be distributed to the most vulnerable in the society.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

 

The Minister, who was flanked by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said that the President directed the Minister of Agriculture to ensure that food is made available to Nigerians.

 

He explained that the distribution of trucks of rice was also to ensure that the hardship in the country is ameliorated, adding that it’s expected that the state governors will distribute the trucks of rice to the most vulnerable.

 

Delta: No rice yet – Ahon, CPS

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Delta State, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed to Sunday Vanguard that the state had not received its share of the palliative.

We received rice –Bayelsa Commissioner

Koku-Obiyai, Bayelsa State Information Commissioner, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, who confirmed receipt of the rice in Yenagoa, the state capital, said, ”Yes, the state has received the palliative.

“I just confirmed from the Chairman of SEMA that the state has received 20 truckloads of 25 kg bags of rice.

 

“The governor will be informed. In Bayelsa State, we do not distribute palliative along party lines. Everybody is suffering, when I was in the House of Assembly, Governor Diri insisted that everybody should benefit from such distributions.”

 

Chair of the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Hon Walama Igrubia, also confirmed the delivery of the palliative when contacted.

 

‘A-Ibom received 24,000 bags’

In Akwa Ibom State, the Commissioner for Information, Ini Ememobong, acknowledged receipt of 24,000 bags of 25 kg rice from the Federal Government to cushion the hardship of the current food crisis in the country.

He explained that the state government added another 24,000 bags of 25 kg from the Federal Government to increase the quantity to 48,000 bags to ensure that more families benefit from the intervention.

 

His words: “Through this food intervention, the government will share 20 bags of rice each to 2,272 villages in the state.

 

“This is in addition to the over 100,000 families drawn from the social register, who have already received and others who will be receiving free food items from the state government through the Bulk Purchase Agency.

 

“This food intervention by the government is aimed at cushioning the effect of the hardship currently faced by our citizens, and reducing extreme hunger and poverty as stipulated by Sustainable Development Goal 1.

 

“However, the long-term and sustainable solution remains the back-to-farm initiative of the state government to boost local food production, which is why the governor declared the first and third Fridays of the month as work-free farming days by the governor.

He explained that the state government added another 24,000 bags of 25 kg from the Federal Government to increase the quantity to 48,000 bags to ensure that more families benefit from the intervention.

 

His words: “Through this food intervention, the government will share 20 bags of rice each to 2,272 villages in the state.

 

“This is in addition to the over 100,000 families drawn from the social register, who have already received and others who will be receiving free food items from the state government through the Bulk Purchase Agency.

 

“This food intervention by the government is aimed at cushioning the effect of the hardship currently faced by our citizens, and reducing extreme hunger and poverty as stipulated by Sustainable Development Goal 1.

 

“However, the long-term and sustainable solution remains the back-to-farm initiative of the state government to boost local food production, which is why the governor declared the first and third Fridays of the month as work-free farming days by the governor.

“Additionally, the Ministry of Agriculture has undertaken several strategic interventions, including distributing cassava cuttings, maize grains, pepper seedlings, and coconut seedlings to 135 public primary, and secondary schools, and shared 150,000 cocoa seedlings with cocoa farmers.

 

“It had also distributed 40,000 oil palm seedlings to oil palm farmers, 80,000 pepper seedlings to vegetable farmers, four piglets, three weaners (goats) to 1,200 livestock farmers, 50-day old chicks with six bags of feed distributed to 700 poultry farmers, and bags of feeds distributed to 200 aquaculture farmers

 

“These are in addition to the provision of livelihood grants of N150,000 to 1,560 beneficiaries, agricultural inputs (day-old chicks, juveniles, feed, etc), and services to 900 farmers undertaken under the AKCARES Scheme.

 

“Distribution of the federal and state governments’ food intervention will be done at the local government council headquarters where respective council chairmen will ensure that 20 bags each are safely transported to all the gazetted villages. Dates for the distribution will be announced soon.”

 

Fubara sets up LOC for distribution in Rivers

In Rivers State, the latest palliative from the Federal Government arrived Lagos on Wednesday.