Lagosians who trooped out on Thursday to buy the government owned Lake Rice were disappointed.

This is because the sale of the commodity is yet to commence in most accredited sales centres across the state

A visit by Bounce News to some of the centres on Thursday revealed that they have not received supplies of the commodity from the government.

Recall that the State Commissioner of Agriculture, Oluwatoyin Suarau, had on Tuesday assured Lagosians that the commodity will be on sale as from Thursday in the 57 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), the Agricultural Development Area Complex Oko-Oba Agege, LTV Blue Roof Complex, Ikeja and other designated centres.

This, he said, was to ensure that there is adequate supply for Muslim faithful during the forthcoming Eid-Kabir celebration.

The Eid-Kabir celebration is scheduled to hold on September 2.

At the Osodi Local Government, people who thronged the secretariat on Oyetayo Street on Thursday morning were told to come back later in the day or tomorrow.

The same scenarios were witnessed in Isolo LCDA and Ejigbo LCDA.

A government official, who spoke anonymously at Ejigbo LCDA secretariat, assured the people that the state government has enough rice to sell for the residents of the state.

The official explained that the state government is doing everything to make Lake Rice to go round.

“We will be here tomorrow and from next week to sell the rice to the public” he said.

When our correspondent again visited the Oshodi secretariat on Thursday evening, there was no sign that the commodity will be available for sale tomorrow.

Bounce News gathered that the delay in the sale of the commodity might not be unconnected with late arrival of product from Kebbi State.

The production of the commodity is a joint effort between the Lagos and Kebbi State governments.

It was gathered that the Lagos State government has only taken delivery of just 30 trailers out of the over 70 that were ordered for the festival.

The 30, according to sources, might not go round all the centres.

It was further gathered that the state is expected to take delivery of another 10 trailers on Friday while the remaining will delivered next week.

It was learnt that with the arrival of the additional 10 trailers on Friday, the government is expected to begin the distribution to the 57 LGAs and LCDAs.

Efforts to get Suarau to comment on the delay proved abortive as a text message sent to his mobile phone was not replied.

The 50kg bag of LAKE Rice would be sold for N12,000 while the 25kg and 10kg will be sold at N6,000, and N2,500 respectively.

Source: http://news.bounce.ng/Content/fresh-violence-kills-32-in-myanmars-rakhine-state-20170825

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