Federal Gov’t Suspends Planned Sale Of 50kg Rice To Civil Servants At N40K

The Federal Government has announced the withdrawal of its plan to sell subsidised 50-kilogram bags of rice to civil servants for N40,000.

The decision was communicated through a circular titled, “Withdrawal of Internal Circular on Sale of Subsidized Rice to Public Servants,” signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs (Human Resources Management Department).

The circular, addressed to Directors and Heads of Departments, stated, “I am directed to refer to our internal circular in the Ministry (Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs) of 1st August, 2024 on the above subject matter and to inform you that the Internal Circular is hereby withdrawn. Further details will be communicated in due course. Please bring the contents of this internal circular to the attention of staff in your respective Departments and Units for their information and proper guidance.”

No reason was provided for the abrupt halt in the plan, leaving many civil servants who had registered for the subsidised rice in a state of uncertainty. The initial plan was announced by the Minister of Information, Idris Mohammed, who stated that the federal government intended to mitigate the effects of the current food crisis by offering 50kg bags of rice at a subsidised rate to civil servants in Abuja.

LEADERSHIP reports that a previous memo from the Ministry, dated August 1, and signed by Mrs. Jaiyesim Abimbola Aderonke, Director of Human Resource Management, outlined the procedure for civil servants to purchase the rice.

The memo indicated that each staff member was entitled to one bag and required interested parties to complete a Google form on the OHCSF website and submit it to the Director of HR for endorsement. It also noted that payment and distribution would be coordinated by designated officials, with the Chairman of the Joint Union Council of the Ministry overseeing the process for transparency.

“As part of federal government’s efforts to alleviate the current food crisis in the country and its effects on the general population, I am directed to inform you that 50kg bags of rice will be sold at subsidized rate of Thousands Naira (N40,000) only per bag to interested public servants in Abuja,” the memo stated. “For effective implementation, all interested staff are required to complete a Google form on the OHCSF website. Print and submit some to Director HR for endorsement payment and distribution of the rice will be coordinated by designated officials while the chairman, Joint Union Council of the Ministry is required to serve as an observer during the period of the exercise for the purpose of transparency.”

The initiative, as earlier announced by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, was intended to start with civil servants before being extended to the general public. This plan was part of a broader government’s effort to combat rising food inflation, which stood at 40.87% year-on-year as of June 2024, according to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The government has also implemented other measures, such as releasing grains from reserves and donating fertilizers to farmers, to address the food crisis.

Despite these efforts, food prices continue to rise across the country, driven by increases in the cost of millet flour, garri, bread, prepackaged wheat flour, and semovita. The withdrawal of the rice subsidy plan adds another layer of complexity to the federal government’s attempts to stabilise food prices and provide relief to citizens.