Politics
Nigerians Express Frustration As Government Suspends Subsidized Rice Program

Nigerians Express Frustration As Government Suspends Subsidized Rice Program....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Workers from various sectors in Abuja have voiced their concerns over the sudden suspension of the Federal Government’s sale of subsidized rice, which was priced at N40,000 per 50-kilogram bag…….CONTINUE READING
Frustration grew among civil servants after they noticed the absence of officials at different registration points for purchasing the rice. The government had previously announced its intention to sell 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice at this subsidized rate, with the initiative aimed at reducing food prices in Nigerian markets, as explained by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Abubakar Kyari.
The sale commenced and was available for over a week before it was abruptly halted without prior notice, leaving many workers disappointed.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mrs. Mary Nwachukwu expressed her shock and frustration upon arriving at the federal secretariat, only to find that officials were not present. “I was encouraged to come to the registration unit at the secretariat, only to be told that the whole thing has been suspended. Nobody knows what may happen next and if the scheme will still continue,” she lamented.
Another civil servant, Mrs. Kudirat Muktah, who faced delays in registering for the rice, criticized the sudden suspension. “I was here for two days trying to get my name registered, but the crowd was overwhelming. I decided to wait until it eased off, only to be told that the exercise has been suspended. I heard the suspension was due to the chaos at the registration and payment points. If they could implement a better system for accessing the rice, it would greatly benefit us.”
Mr. Sylvester Edwards also expressed his disappointment, noting that he had struggled for two days just to register. “I spent two days here waiting to get my name on the list, and now I’m hearing about the suspension. Although we’ve heard that there might be another way to access the rice, we can’t trust this government. The subsidized rice would help alleviate hunger, so it’s crucial for the government to reinstate the program,” he stated.
Meanwhile, NAN’s investigation revealed that a new system was being put in place to facilitate the purchase of rice and address the previous difficulties. An anonymous source from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation clarified that the scheme was not managed by their office, but rather by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).
The source explained that the sale was suspended due to the disorder and disruption caused within the Head of Service’s premises, which affected regular office operations. “People could no longer attend to work in their offices because of this exercise. We have to suspend it. We also noted reports about difficulties in accessing the subsidized 50kg bags of rice.”
The plan moving forward involves decentralizing the purchase process by engaging various ministries and their agencies. Civil servants will register with their respective ministries, which will streamline access to the subsidized rice. The source urged officials in ministries and agencies to connect with their parent ministries for updates on the new registration and distribution methods for the subsidized rice.
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