"No Single Bag Here": Frustration Grows as Tinubu’s N40K Rice Remains Out of Reach of Nigerians
- Numerous Nigerians have voiced strong complaints about the challenges in finding the sales points for FG's subsidised rice
- Some have shared their frustration over the long journeys from the outskirts to urban centres to access the distribution sites
- The FG had stated that the rice distribution would adhere to a "one person, one bag" policy to prevent hoarding and promote fairness
Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering Energy, MSMEs, Technology and the Stock Market.
Nigerians have once again voiced their frustration over the challenges in obtaining the Federal Government's N40,000 subsidised rice, which was introduced on September 6, 2024, in Abuja.
Many Nigerians have voiced their frustration about the difficulty in finding designated payment or collection points for subsidised rice.
Several individuals revealed that no distribution centres had been established in their localities, and they worry that middlemen may interfere with the process.
Source: Facebook
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, instructed interested individuals to provide their National Identification Numbers and use an Automated Teller Machine card as the sole payment method.
Rising complaints over access to FG's N40k rice
On September 15, a representative from the agriculture ministry sought to ease public concerns by reassuring Nigerians that sales to the general public would commence on September 16.
The official emphasised the government's dedication to ensuring all citizens benefit from the initiative.
Although the sales commenced as scheduled, citizens have expressed frustration over the difficulties of travelling from the outskirts to city centres, especially within the Federal Capital Territory, to reach the sales and collection points.
According to Punch, numerous individuals outside the FCT have reported being unable to find any sales locations in their areas.
A resident named Blessing Ameh, who lives in the Kubwa area of Abuja, reported that no sales points have been established in her vicinity.
A similar situation was observed in Oyo State, where another resident, Deborah Johnson, mentioned that despite hearing about the subsidised rice on the news, she has yet to see any distribution point in her area.
She said:
“We have not seen even a single bag here.”
Expert advocates easy access to collection centres
Experts have recommended that the government decentralise the payment and distribution points for the initiative to succeed. This would enable people to buy rice without incurring extra transportation expenses.
Tobi Awolope, an agricultural economist from the Centre for Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, emphasised that accessibility is vital to food security.
He noted that supply chain challenges, particularly the high cost of food transportation, have significantly threatened societal welfare, especially for those living in rural areas.
Awolope said:
“Access to food—both in terms of proximity and affordability—is a fundamental human right. Therefore, collection centers should be located where all social groups can easily reach them.”
Although Nigerians value the government's efforts to ease the effects of increasing food inflation, they call on authorities to ensure that rice distribution extends to regions where most of the population lives.
How to get FG's 50kg bag of rice at N40,000
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu-led federal government announced that getting the subsidised N40,000 per 50kg bag of rice would require NIN.
Abubakar Kyari, the minister of agriculture and food security, spoke on behalf of the president and made the revelation at the launch of the rice sales.
According to Kyari, interest buyers can also get subsidised rice once registered under the IPPIS platform.
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Source: Legit.ng
