₦airaland Forum

Which way Nigeria? Over N12.3 trillion grants and loans for poverty alleviation, yet hunger and poverty every where in the land

https://theinsight.com.ng/fg-received-n12-3-trillion-7-89bn-loan-nigerians/

Where is Tinubu's 30,000MT Rice at N40,000 Per Bag?

Daniel Adaji

Nigerians are demanding answers after the Federal Government’s highly publicized N40,000 subsidised rice sale came to an abrupt halt without any official explanation.

The initiative, which promised to distribute 30,000 metric tonnes of rice nationwide, has left many citizens frustrated, raising concerns about the integrity and transparency of the process.

Launched on September 6, 2024, in Abuja, the scheme was meant to provide relief to Nigerians amid skyrocketing food prices, with rice selling for nearly N100,000 per 50kg bag in some locations.

However, after an initial phase targeting civil servants, the sales suddenly stopped, leaving many Nigerians without access to the promised subsidy.

Despite reassurances from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security that sales to the general public would begin on September 16, numerous citizens report that they never saw a single bag.

A resident of Kubwa, Abuja, Blessing Ameh, lamented, “Despite the promise made by the government and the wide publicity given to the intervention, we never say a single bag to buy almost six months after."

Government officials initially claimed that sales points were set up at select locations, including the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission. However, residents, especially those outside Abuja, found it nearly impossible to access these locations due to high transportation costs.

An agricultural economist, Tobi Awolope, highlighted the failure in distribution strategy, stating, “Accessibility is a crucial component of food security. If the rice is not reaching the masses, then the programme has failed in its objective.”

The Federal Government had promised a fair and transparent process, with Minister Abubakar Kyari emphasizing that the initiative aimed to ensure “Nigerians do not go to bed hungry.” However, with no clear explanation for the abrupt end of sales, Nigerians are left questioning what happened to the thousands of tonnes of rice that were supposed to be available.

A resident of Karu, Ibrahim Abdullahi shared his ordeal: “I was at the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation sales point until closing time last year, but I couldn’t buy a bag because of the overwhelming crowd. The next day, the sales had stopped without explanation.”

While a ministry official claimed that sales were being expanded to states like Lagos, Kano, and Borno, no concrete evidence has emerged to support this assertion.

“We have not even gone anywhere; how can we stop?” the official argued, contradicting numerous reports of halted sales.

The cessation of the rice distribution comes at a time when Nigerians are grappling with escalating food prices.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the food inflation rate in June 2024 was a staggering 40.87% year-on-year, up by 15.62 percentage points from 25.25% in June 2023 . This surge has led to significant price increases in essential food items.

Although the government in March said Nigeria’s food inflation rate slowed to 23.51% in February 2025, marking a significant decline from the 37.92% recorded in February 2024, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The drop represents a notable moderation in food price increases, although the month-on-month data shows that food prices are still rising.

However, the NBS report attributed the sharp year-on-year decline in food inflation partly to a change in the base year for measurement.

A market survey conducted by this reporter on Tuesday revealed that local rice, previously sold between N64,000 to N70,000, now costs at least N75,000 in markets across the Federal Capital Territory. Pepper has become unaffordable for the average Nigerian, and eggs are now sold at N300 each, amounting to about N8,000 per crate.

With no official communication on whether the programme will resume or if the rice has been redirected elsewhere, Nigerians are left with more questions than answers. If the government truly intends to alleviate food insecurity, it must urgently clarify the status of the programme and ensure fair distribution to those in need.





https://pointblanknews.com/pbn/news/where-is-tinubus-30000mt-rice-at-n40000-per-bag/

Tinubu spends N771m on honorarium amidst economic hardship

...CSOs demand accountability in public expenditure

Daniel Adaji

Amidst growing economic hardship in Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu's administration has spent N771,094,800 on honorarium over a five-month period, according to data obtained from BudgIT's accountability platform, GovSpend, on Sunday.


https://pointblanknews.com/pbn/exclusive/tinubu-spends-n771m-on-honorarium-amidst-economic-hardship/

https://theinsight.com.ng/plot-to-replace-natasha-akpoti-uduaghan-with-yahaya-bello/

Plot to replace Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan with Yahaya Bello



There is a coordinated effort by certain political figures in Kogi State to unseat Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central )and replace her with former Governor Yahaya Bello, The Insight learnt.

Reports circulating suggest that some constituents from Kogi Central have begun a recall process against Natasha

https://punchng.com/just-in-dollar-not-selling-at-n1000-1-bdcs-debunk-viral-post/#google_vignette

JUST IN: Dollar not selling at N1,000/$1, BDCs debunk viral post

Contrary to the report making the rounds on X (formerly Twitter), Bureau De Change operators said there was no truth in reports that the dollar is now selling at N1,000 at parallel market.