By Stephen Angbulu

The Federal Government said, on Monday, that it had dispatched 20 trucks of rice to each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The recent move is part of measures to douse the food crisis and the economic burden of Nigerians.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Monday.

Idris, who appealed to state governors to ensure equitable distribution of the rice to those who need it the most, said each state and the FCT had received 20 trucks containing 1,200 bags of 25kg of rice.

The minister, who sat alongside the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu directed the Minister of Agriculture to ensure that Nigerians get the rice supply.

He said,“The council deliberated on the state of affairs in Nigeria, especially the issue of food supply and shortage of food on the tables of many Nigerians.

“After exhaustive deliberations, the Minister of Agriculture had earlier been directed to ensure that food is being made available to Nigerians, and the understanding is that about 20 trucks of rice have already been supplied to each of the states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory. Each truck carries about 1,200 bags of 25kg of rice.

“This is part of the measures that government is taking, in addition to so many others, to ensure that the hardship being experienced by Nigerians is drastically ameliorated.

“Therefore, each state government has received 20 trucks of rice for onward distribution to the most vulnerable.  This is a first step and the Federal Government will continue to support all the sub-nationals so that the hardship being experienced by most Nigerians, in terms of shortage of food supply, is breached.

“It is expected that the state governors will go ahead to distribute this food item to the most vulnerable so that the hardship, as I said, being experienced will be brought down significantly,” the minister added.

The council also called for the expedited rollout of Compressed Natural Gas-powered vehicles.

“The Federal Executive Council has directed the presidential committee on CNG to expedite its activities to supply buses, also to make it possible for the conversion kits to be available to most Nigerians.

“They have already started, but the Federal Executive Council asked them to redouble their effort so that conversion kits that we need for the CNG to populate with are made available.

“Also, the conversion centres that had earlier been approved will also be significantly upgraded so that Nigerians will have more conversion centres, more conversion kits,” he said.

The FG also called for increased compliance with the CNG initiative “to reduce our over-reliance on PMS and this will in turn also aid our energy transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy.”

Published Date: July 16, 2024