Their unease was prompted by the sudden disappearance of officials at various registration units for purchasing the rice.
Civil servants in Abuja are voicing their concerns following the abrupt suspension of the Nigerian government’s subsidised rice sales priced at N40,000 per 50-kilogram bag.
Their unease was prompted by the sudden disappearance of officials at various registration units for purchasing the rice.
It could be recalled that the President Bola Tinubu-led government had pledged to sell 30,000 metric tonnes of 50-kilogramme bags of milled rice to Nigerians at the subsidised rate.
Mr. Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, explained that the initiative was part of government’s efforts to reduce food prices in the Nigerian market.
The sale commenced and lasted over a week before being suspended without prior notice, leaving many workers who had not benefitted feeling frustrated.
A civil servant, identified only as Mrs Nwachukwu expressed her surprise and dismay upon arriving at the federal secretariat only to find officials absent.
“I was encouraged to come to the registration unit at the secretariat, only for me to be told that the whole thing has been suspended. Nobody knows what may happen next and if the scheme will still continue,” she stated.
Mrs. Kudirat, another civil servant who initially faced delays in accessing the rice, voiced her disapproval of the suspension.
“I was here for two days to get my name registered, but because of the huge crowd, I decided to wait until it eases off, only to be told now that the exercise has been suspended,” she told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
“What I heard from the grapevine was that the suspension was as a result of the rowdiness and chaos at the registration and payment point. If they can adopt a better method of access to the rice, it will be better for us,” she said.
Mr. Sylvester also expressed disappointment over the suspension. “My brother, I spent two days here before I could register my name, waiting to be called for the rice, but now I am hearing another story.
“Although we heard that the rice will be accessed through another method, we cannot trust this government. The palliative rice will, to some extent, ease the burden of hunger, so, it is important for the government to bring it back,” he said.
NAN's findings confirmed that a new arrangement is being established to simplify the rice purchase process. An authoritative source in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, who requested anonymity, clarified that their office was not responsible for coordinating the scheme as speculated.
The source indicated that the palliative rice distribution is being managed by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) after its inauguration by the minister.
On the suspension of the sale, the source explained that registration was halted due to excessive noise and chaos disrupting the work environment. “People could no longer attend work in their offices as a result of this exercise. Therefore, we have to suspend it,” the source stated.
They also acknowledged NAN's report about individuals facing difficulties accessing the subsidised rice. Plans are underway to decentralise the purchasing process by involving various ministries, where core civil servants will register in their respective ministries.
The source advised officials at MDAs to connect with their parent ministries for details on the new payment and distribution methods for the palliative rice.