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 among Nigerians.
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, AkwaIbom, 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. 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 is expected that the State governors will distribute the trucks of rice to the most vulnerable.
In Rivers State, the latest palliative from the Federal Government reportedly arrived from Lagos on Wednesday. Governor Siminalayi Fubara revealed that a Local Organising Committee (LOC) headed by the Caretaker Chairmen of every local government has been set up to distribute the food items to the most vulnerable people in every nook and cranny of the State.
However, in Katsina State, as of noon Friday, the Federal Governments truck of rice purportedly dispatched to the state was yet to arrive. When contacted, the Public Relations Officer, Katsina SEMA, Bello Mamman, said he had no idea whether the rice truck was on its way and when it will arrive.
In Plateau State, officials were quoted as saying they were yet to receive the 20 trucks of rice which the Federal Government promised. The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Musa Ashoms, confirmed in a telephone interview that the consignment was yet to arrive.
In Borno, the North-East Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Sirajo Garba Maidugu, in an interview, said his office was yet to receive any correspondence regarding how and when the 20 trucks will be delivered to the States, especially Borno and Yobe. On his part, the Director General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), who is also the Secretary of the Palliative Committee, Mohammed Barkindo, said the State government was yet to receive any truck.
As of Thursday afternoon, it was not clear whether Kaduna State had received the 20 trucks of rice. Calls to officials in the state, including the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, to ask if they had received the rice were not answered.
Ekiti and Kwara State governments, at press time, was yet to receive their 20 trucks of lorry of bags of rice as expected from the Presidency. Sokoto State officials, on their part, said they were yet to receive their share. The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Muhammadu Bello Wamakko, said: We just heard it, but we are yet to receive any circular to that effect from anybody.
Zamfara State also quoted an official as saying they were yet to receive the rice allocation. The Director-General (DG) Media and Communication to Zamfara State Governor, Nuhu Salisu Anka, told newsmen on telephone, We are yet to receive our allocation. Kebbi State government, also on its part, confirmed it was yet to receive the 20 trucks of rice approved by President Tinubu. Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ahmed Idris, said that as soon as the State government receives the consignment, it will share it with the beneficiaries.
The situation is the same in Benue State, where the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA), Sir James Iorpuu, said they were yet to receive their allocation of 20 trucks of rice. Iorpuu, however, acknowledged that the agency had received some food palliative from the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA), as well as the Northern Governors Forum, (NGF).
In Niger State also, the rice palliative was reportedly yet to arrive in the state as of yesterday morning. The Public Relations Officer of the state Ministry of Agriculture, A’isha Babadoko, said the Ministry was unaware of the palliative. The Chief Press Secretary to the state Governor, Bologi Ibrahim, when contacted on the issue, also said he was not aware of the delivery of the trucks of rice but promised to find out from the Commissioner of Agriculture but had not as of the time of press time.
