A cross-section of civil servants in Abuja has expressed concerns over the sudden suspension of the Federal Government’s subsidized rice sales, priced at N40,000 per 50-kilogram bag.
The affected workers voiced their frustrations after discovering that officials responsible for the registration and distribution of the rice had disappeared from various units without prior notice.
Housing TV Africa recalls that the Federal Government had promised to sell 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidised rate of N40,000 per 50-kilogram bag. The initiative, which was part of the government’s efforts to reduce food prices, was inaugurated by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Abubakar Kyari.
According to Housing TV Africa, the rice sales lasted for over a week before the sudden suspension, leaving many civil servants who were yet to benefit from the program dismayed.
Workers Express Disappointment
Mrs. Mary Nwachukwu, a civil servant, shared her frustration upon arriving at the federal secretariat to pay for the rice, only to find out that the officials had abandoned their posts.
“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 or if the scheme will continue,” Nwachukwu lamented.
Similarly, Mrs. Kudirat Muktah, who had previously faced delays in accessing the rice, criticized the abrupt halt in sales.
“I waited for two days to register my name, but because of the large crowd, I decided to wait until it eased off. Now, I am being told the exercise has been suspended,” Muktah said.
Suspension Linked to Chaos at Registration Points
Some workers attributed the suspension to the chaotic scenes at registration and payment points. Mr. Sylvester Edwards, another civil servant, expressed his disappointment, stating that he had waited two days to register but was now unsure of when the program would resume.
“There were rumors that the rice will be distributed through another method, but we can’t trust this government. The palliative rice could ease the burden of hunger, so it’s important for the government to resume sales,” Edwards noted.
New Method for Distribution Underway
NAN investigations revealed that a new system for rice distribution is being developed to address the cumbersome process. A source within the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that the sale of rice is being handled by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), not the civil service office as previously speculated.
The source added that the suspension was due to the disruption caused at the Head of Service premises, where the registration exercise had led to significant noise and chaos, preventing normal office work.
“People could no longer attend to their work due to the commotion. The plan now is to decentralise the distribution by involving individual ministries and their agencies. Core civil servants will register in their ministries, while those in agencies will liaise with their parent ministries,” the source explained.
Civil servants are advised to contact their respective ministries for further details on the new registration and distribution method for the palliative rice.