The Federal Government has initiated the sale of 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice at a subsidised rate of N40,000 per 50kg bag, with a stipulation that only buyers with National Identification Numbers (NIN) will benefit from the programme.
The announcement marks the commencement of this food intervention aimed at alleviating the ongoing food crisis in Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, officially launched the scheme on Thursday.
During the flag-off ceremony, Kyari emphasised that the rice will be sold on a “one person, one bag” basis. “This food intervention can be said to be timely considering the times and challenges we are in as citizens of this great nation,” Kyari remarked.
He praised the initiative as part of the administration’s broader efforts to mitigate the effects of rising food prices. “As one of the numerous efforts of the present administration to cushion the effect of high cost of food commodities, kindly join me in applauding the immense efforts of the present administration such as the release of 42,000MT of Assorted Food Commodities (AFC) to vulnerable and the 30,000MT of milled rice which is being flagged-off for sales to Nigerians today September 5, 2024,” he stated.
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To ensure a fair distribution and transparency in the initiative, Kyari revealed that a multi-disciplinary government task force has been deployed.
This team is tasked with preventing the misuse of the system, ensuring that no individual acquires more than one 50kg bag.
“In view of the above, I urge our dear citizens to cooperate with the relevant agencies of government who will try to serve you to achieve this great initiative of government,” Kyari urged.
He expressed optimism that the introduction of 30,000MT of rice into the market would not only lower the price of rice but also affect the cost of other food commodities.
To qualify for the purchase, buyers must present their NIN, phone numbers, or Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) details at designated sale points.
“To qualify for the one person one bag, you must have a National Identification Number, of course, you have phone numbers and those in public service are all registered under the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS) platform,” Kyari said.
Upon verification, a code number and a Treasury receipt will be issued to the buyer, who will then be able to collect their rice from designated collection centres.
“Once you have any of these three, at the point of sale, with the NIN logged into the system, a code number and a Treasury receipt will be generated, and with that, the buyer can get to the collection centre and pick up his bag. The receipt will indicate, the time and point of collection to eliminate stampede,” Kyari added.
Sule, a government official, further explained that the collection point is distinct from the sales point. “At the collection point, you present your code to our officials, and you will be handed a bag of rice,” Sule clarified.
The structured process aims to streamline distribution and ensure that the rice reaches the intended recipients without disruptions.
