The federal government has announced the sale of 50kg bags of rice for N40,000 at designated centers across all states to address the rising cost of food.
Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, revealed this after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday.
Idris stated that the government has distributed 10 trucks of rice to each state, with plans to increase supply. He argued that with this intervention and other efforts to make food available, there is no longer a need for the planned nationwide protests scheduled for August 1 to 10, 2024.
“Many of the issues that those planning the protest are putting forward are being addressed. The government is making efforts to make sure that food is made available.”
The minister also highlighted the government’s investments in the agricultural sector, expecting food prices to decline as the rainy season approaches. Additionally, he mentioned the student loan scheme and the transition to compressed natural gas (CNG) for vehicles as measures to ease the cost of living for Nigerians.
Idris appealed to the public to reconsider the protests, warning of the potential for demonstrations to be hijacked by “unscrupulous elements”. He emphasized that while peaceful protest is a democratic right, the government believes the current circumstances do not warrant such actions
