The federal government announced on Monday that it has established centers nationwide where 50kg bags of rice are being sold for N40,000 each.
This initiative is part of the Tinubu administration’s efforts to alleviate the high cost of living, making planned nationwide protests unnecessary, according to Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
Idris, speaking at a briefing after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, emphasized that the government is already addressing the concerns of the protesters.
He stated, “The position of the FEC is that most of the demands that the protesters are making are actually being addressed by the federal government.”
He highlighted several interventions by the Tinubu administration, including the distribution of food and subsidized rice. “For example, the effort that the government is making in ensuring that food is being made available. Last week, 20 trucks were given to state governors for distribution to the poorest of the poor,” Idris said.
He added, “There is also rice being sold at about 50% of its cost. This rice has been taken to various centers across all the states, and is being sold at N40,000 per 50kg bag. Initially, 10 trucks have been made available to each state, and this is just the beginning.”
Idris acknowledged that while these measures are not enough to fully address the high cost of living, they are necessary first steps.
“Government has not pretended that these supplies are indeed enough. But these are necessary first steps, and more interventions are being made in the interim,” he said.
He also pointed out ongoing investments in the agricultural sector, expecting food prices to decrease as these investments take effect. “The rainy season is here, and we expect that the prices of food items will come down as investments are also being made for irrigation activities.”
Idris mentioned other government initiatives, such as the disbursement of student loans and the employment of young people through the MTT program.
“Recently, the federal government began the disbursement of student loans for over 2 million students. Only about 110,000 applications have been received so far,” he noted.
Furthermore, the government is working on reducing transportation costs through the CNG initiative. “Some buses and conversion kits have already been imported, and conversion centers are becoming active.
The transition from fossil fuels to renewables is expected to reduce transportation costs by over 60%.”
Idris urged those planning to protest to reconsider, emphasizing the government’s ongoing efforts to address their concerns. “There is no need for the protest. The President is already protesting on their behalf by implementing these measures,” he said.
He also warned about the potential for protests to turn violent, urging peaceful demonstrations. “While it is the democratic right of every Nigerian to engage in peaceful protests, the government is appealing to you to first shelve it.
There is a great likelihood that this protest may be hijacked and turn violent, which Nigeria will not benefit from,” he concluded.
