The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has announced that while the Federal Government has made 50kg bags of rice available for sale at N40,000, the specific sale centers will not be disclosed.
This precaution is to prevent the centers from being hijacked and the rice hoarded by “people who have money.”
According to The PUNCH, Idris made this statement while answering questions from journalists after a press briefing at the Radio House in Abuja on Wednesday.
Earlier, the Federal Government, through Idris, had announced on Monday the creation of centers nationwide where Nigerians could purchase the rice at the reduced price as part of an initiative by the Tinubu administration to alleviate living conditions for citizens.
However, during the Wednesday briefing, Idris clarified that the rice was still being distributed to various states.
He emphasized that the locations of the sale centers would not be announced to ensure the intended beneficiaries receive the rice and to address security concerns.
“It’s in the process of distribution to the various states. Sometimes, it is difficult to mention the routes and the time for security reasons. But the rice is already available, it is going to be sold at N40,000,” Idris stated.
“The rice is already available, I can confirm that it is going to be sold at various points around the country. Care is being taken so that it would not be hijacked by people who have money. If we put it out there, they would go there and hoard it; those for whom this rice is intended will not now get the rice,” he added.
Idris also highlighted other efforts by the Tinubu administration, including the recently signed National Education Loan Fund, aimed at two million students and which has already received 120,000 applications.
Additionally, he mentioned the FG’s N110bn Nigerian Youth Investment Fund, set to run for the next two years.
