Confusion Over Tinubu’s Rice
• Weeks after, Oyo, Plateau, Ekiti, Delta, Abia, Adamawa, Gombe, Kebbi, others still awaiting FG’s truckloads
By Desmond Mgboh, Oluseye Ojo, Tony John, Emmanuel Adeyemi, Tony Osauzo, Femi Folaranmi, Stanley Uzoaru, Jude Dangwam, Lukman Olabiyi, Priscilla Ediare, Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Olanrewaju Lawal, Paul Osuyi, Noah Ebije, Okey Sampson, Lateef Dada, Abel Leonard, Timothy Olanrewaju, Scholastica Hir, Jude Chinedu, Billy Graham Abel and Abdurrazaq Mungadi – Sunnewsonline
Weeks after the nationwide protest against economic hardship and anti-people policies of the federal government, the rice palliative promised by the federal government to cushion the effects of the rising cost of living have yet to reach some states.
Our correspondents report from many states that there has been a harvest of uncertainties and controversies surrounding the arrival and distribution of the trucks of rice promised by the federal government.
While many officials have insisted that no truck of rice was delivered in their states, there are controversies regarding the distribution of the rice in some of the states in which the palliative has been distributed.
Oyo awaits rice, receives maize, garri, noodles
Oyo State Government has yet to receive the widely publicized 20 trucks of rice.
“We have not received a single grain of rice in Oyo State,” Sulaimon Olanrewaju, spokesman for the state governor told Saturday Sun, adding that the palliatives will come in two categories.
According to him, the first category comprised maize, garri, noodles and so on. The second category, he said, is rice palliative, which has not been delivered to the state.
Saturday Sun gathered from various sources that the flag-off ceremony for the first category in July featured a symbolic presentation of the garri, dried maize, and noodles to chairmen of the 33 local government areas in the state for onward distribution across all the councils.
Each bag of maize was 50 kg, while each bag of garri was 25 kg. The maize and garri were distributed as collected from the federal government.
Kayode Martins, chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Oyo State, also confirmed that the state had yet to receive the promised rice palliative.
Controversy over sharing formula in Bayelsa
There is controversy over the sharing of the 20 trucks of federal government rice palliatives in Bayelsa State.
While the state government said that the rice has been distributed to vulnerable people across the state, civil society groups are insisting that the process of distribution was not transparent.
The governor, Senator Douye Diri who confirmed the receipt of the 20 trucks of rice had directed the distribution of the palliatives to people in communities across the state irrespective of political affiliation.
To ensure that the process was not compromised, Diri excluded political appointees and civil servants from benefitting. He also instructed those in charge to ensure that the rice gets to those who truly need it, warning that the process must not be bungled like in the past when there were reports that the sharing of palliatives was mismanaged.
Investigation by Saturday Sun indicated that each of the 105 wards in the state received 195 bags of the 25kg bag of rice.
But the chairman of Civil Liberty Organisation in the state, David West has faulted the handing over of the distribution of the palliatives to ward leaders to share.
“The rice was handed over to ward leaders in the various local government areas which means, if I am not a member of the ward or a member of the party, I would not benefit.”
Plateau yet to receives rice – Mutfwang
Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfuwang, has disclosed that the state has not received up to N40,000 tons of rice announced by the federal government in the build up to the national protest in the first week of August.
He said the state only received 29,400 bags of rice since his assumption into office with the last trenches in July 2024 and were shared based on the template of the federal government to council areas.
Governor Mutfwang made this clarification recently when he met with leaders of the #EndBadGovernance protest at the new Government House, Jos.
The state also received 8,840 bags of sorghum, 3,240 bags of millets, and 7,500 bags of maize. These were shared based on the template the federal government provided.
Lagos received trucks of rice in March
Information gathered from the state Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems has it that the ministry received trucks of rice from the federal government in several batches in March.
According to sources, the supply came at a time when the state was also aggregating food items; bags of beans and garri for the implementation of phase two of the state’s Food Bank Programme.
“The bags of rice were subsequently applied as part of the food palliative distributed to vulnerable households through the Community Development Committees, state institutions, military and paramilitary organisations, including the Nigerian Police Force,” a top civil servant told our correspondent.
Saturday Sun further gathered that even though the federal government announced the release of 20 trucks of rice to each state in July, the ministry was informed that the state had received its own consignment in March, which was distributed back then.
Ekiti yet to receive rice palliative
Ekiti State has yet to receive the rice consignment announced by the federal government.
Speaking to Saturday Sun, director general, Bureau of Community Communications in the state, Mrs. Mary Oso-Omotoso, said: “A committee from Abuja came to Ekiti to check before delivery but as we speak the bags of rice have not arrived.”
On the N40,000 subsidized (50kg) bags of rice, she said the federal government had not concluded arrangements on that.
“The federal government earlier announced that the sales of the bags of rice will begin from public servants before it is extended to other citizens in the country,” she stated.
Ondo sets up committee, awaits delivery of rice
Ondo State government has said that it had yet to receive the trailer-loads of rice promised by the federal government as part of palliatives for the people.
While awaiting the arrival of the palliatives, a committee has already been set up by the governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa to handle the distribution of the food items anytime they arrive in the state.
Ebenezer Adeniyan, media aide to the governor, said the food items would be fairly shared among the people of the state whenever they’re received.
“Ondo State is yet to receive it. We have a food security committee that will handle it once it’s received. They already have a template which has been used twice to distribute such palliatives.”
But the people of the state are already anxious about receiving the food items as many of them complained of serious hunger. Last Wednesday, some women staged a peaceful protest at the governor’s office over the economic hardship in the country and complained about hunger and inability to fund their children’s education.
CSOs kick against sharing formula in Kogi
Kogi State government says it has distributed what it has so far received from the federal government equitably.
But a civil society organization has faulted the distribution formula, describing it as inequitable. Idris Miliki, executive director of a civil society organization, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, said the state government was secretive, biased and not transparent in the sharing of the palliatives as there was no committee which should consists of labour unions, civil society organizations, religious organizations, members of other political parties and even the Nigeria Union of Journalists to allocate and monitor the sharing of the commodities to the people.
Miliki said the palliatives given by the federal government should have gone round the most vulnerable in the society and not APC members alone or to those in government. He asked governor Usman Ododo to emulate his counterpart in Borno State.
But Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Mouktar Atimah, said the criticism was greatly misplaced as the governor carried everyone along, irrespective of party affiliation, tribe, religion or gender to share the palliatives fairly and equitably to all segments of the state.
Atimah, who disclosed that the governor had already set up a palliative committee that handles the sharing of the palliatives, said the state government had already mapped out 3,508 sub communities in the state, including some stakeholders and associations, unions and civil servants who benefit from the palliatives.
Kebbi: We’re still waiting
The anticipated truckloads of rice from the federal government have yet to arrive in Kebbi State. As at the time of filing this report, Chief Press Secretary to the Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Idris confirmed this in a chat with our correspondent.
He said: “the expected rice from our President is on its way. It has not arrived yet.”
Delta yet to take delivery
Delta State government has confirmed that the state was yet to receive any consignment of rice from the federal government either before or during the #Endbadgovernance protest.
Festus Ahon, media aide to the governor, told our correspondent that the state government would not hesitate to distribute the rice to those it is meant for anytime they are delivered to the state, assuring that appropriate measures were already in place to avoid diversion.
His confirmation is coming just as an Asaba-based human right group, Rose Anoka Empowerment Initiative, said there was no evidence that rice palliatives from the federal government were recently delivered to Delta State.
Executive Director of the body, Jude Ojiugo-Onochie noted that it was only being rumoured during the ten-day protest that the presidency released bags of rice to senators for onward distribution to their respective constituents.
“In Delta State, there was nothing like that to the best of my knowledge. There was nowhere rice was re-bagged and sold or even shared before and during the protest.
“It is not certain if the senators were given bags of rice or whether the state government received any truckload of rice meant to be sold at the reduced price of N40,000 or to be shared. There is no evidence, it was just a rumour,” he said.
Also speaking, another human right activist, Victor Ojei, informed that “the 20 trucks of rice the Federal Government talked about had not been received.”
Ojei, however, disclosed that 24,000 bags of 25kg rice were shared in his local government, Aniocha South, in June and early July through a process put in place by the state government.
Kaduna takes delivery
Kaduna State government has confirmed that it has taken delivery of President Bola Tinubu’s rice palliatives.
Saturday Sun gathered that the consignment had not been distributed yet to people as a committee has been set up to work out the sharing formula.
According to Governor Uba Sani’s media aide, Muhammad Lawal Shehu, “Yes we have received it. A committee has been set up to work on the mode of distribution.”
Meanwhile, an official of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) who pleaded anonymity expressed concerns over non-inclusion of staff of the agency on the rice distribution committee.
“A committee of this nature in the past used to involve officials of SEMA, but what we are seeing is a different ball game altogether. It is like those who set up the committee decided to limit its membership to their friends and cronies. We wish them good luck.”
This was even as some persons from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other political parties in the state claimed ignorance of the delivery of the palliatives.
Palliatives yet to reach Abia
Reports from Umuahia, Abia State capital indicate that the people of the state were still waiting for the palliatives promised by the federal government.
Information gathered at the state’s Ministry of Woman Affairs and Poverty Alleviation showed that Abia was yet to receive the rice from the federal government.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma said he could not confirm the arrival of the rice consignments to the state.
“I cannot in all honesty confirm if the state has received the rice from the federal government.”
Ekeoma was, however, quick to add that if the state government takes delivery of the state, it will be equitably distributed, using the formula adopted in sharing similar consignments.
“Previously, such things have been shared down the line, through the political ward and local government level and if the rice you are talking about is in the state, a similar method will be adopted so it will get to those they are meant for.
Vulnerable folks in Rivers unaware of presidential palliative
Rivers State government received a donation of 21,650 bags of grains from the federal government.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara announced the receipt of the foodstuffs on July 16, 2024.
The food items, consisting of 3,680 bags of garri and 17,970 bags of corn, were part of the presidential food palliative initiative to cushion the effects of hunger in the state.
Beans and rice were not included in the 21,650 bags of grain sent to the state.
Speaking through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tammy Danagogo, during the Rivers State Government and NEMA joint flag-off of the federal government Grain Distribution in Port Harcourt, Governor Fubara revealed that, Local Organising Committees (LOCs) headed by the Caretaker Committee Chairmen of every local government had already been setup.
Checks by Saturday Sun revealed that most of the vulnerable people in the state have not received any item.
While they acknowledged hearing the announcement about the receipt of the presidential palliative, some individuals in Eleme, Khana, Gokana and Etche LGAs, said apart from the donation from the wife of the president, which was distributed by wife of the state governor, they have not received additional food items.
Knocks over Edo rice palliatives
Information about rice palliatives in Edo State is scanty, making some people believe that there could be lack of transparency in the process.
Edo State Government announced that it had decided to release the sum of N1 billion every month to religious bodies composed of Muslim groups and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to purchase food items to distribute to the needy in the state.
As of August 7, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, told journalists at a press conference in Benin that the state government had spent the sum of N2.2 billion through CAN to buy rice and other food items to distribute to targeted groups in the last three months.
The disclosure came after some members of the public discovered some warehouses and a private residence in Benin, where palliative rice from the federal government was allegedly stored and re-bagged with Edo State Government logo on the bags of the rice. It was a bazaar as they swooped on the locations of the rice to cart away hundreds of bags of the staple food.
But the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, however confirmed that the “federal government brought few trucks of rice that were distributed to orphanages and vulnerable people,” insisting that the looted rice belonged to the Edo State government.
Osun still expecting FG’s rice
Osun State government has said it has not received the rice promised by the federal government.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said the state government is expecting the rice very soon.
According to him, the rice would be sold at N40,000 per bag to the people with supervision of the state and the federal government.
He said, “We are expecting the rice very soon. After receiving it, we will now decide with their representative on the location to sell the rice.
“But, as of now, we have not received the rice. We are expecting it very soon,” Alimi said.
Imo got 24,000 bags of 25kg rice
The government of Imo State has acknowledged the receipt of 24, 000 bags of 25 kg rice palliatives from the federal government.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Cosmas Mmaduba, said the state was still expecting an additional 26, 000 bags of rice.
Mmaduba said that what the state has received so far has been distributed accordingly to the 27 Local Government Areas of the state.
According to him, groups, organisations and institutions in the state have benefited from the federal government’s largesse. He also added that the palliative came in 25kg bags.
“We have distributed maize, garri, beans, fertilizer and others to people of our dear state and we’re still expecting more.
“The distribution is an on-going process and we intend to reach out to more people as the consignment comes.
But contrary to his claims, most residents who spoke to our correspondent said they had not received any rice.
“We have not received any rice. If they have shared it, let them tell us. We only heard of the rice on the radio and television,” a resident said. However, a staff of Owerri West Local Government acknowledged that corn and garri had been shared in their council. He added, however, that no rice was shared.
Confusion as Nasarawa awaits consignment
Amid rising concerns over the distribution of rice palliatives from the federal government, the Nasarawa State government has denied receiving any additional trucks of food items apart from those delivered in March 2024.
This has fuelled speculations and criticism from opposition parties and residents alike.
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Affairs, Peter Ahember, disclosed that since the initial distribution of palliatives in March, the state has not received any further food consignments from the federal government.
“What was announced by the federal government was what was distributed in March to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal,” Ahember clarified.
This position was further confirmed by the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and NGOs, Hon. Margaret Elayo.
She emphasized: “The state has not received any trucks of food items from the federal government since March. The items that were sent earlier were duly distributed across various local governments and communities in Nasarawa State.”
Elayo expressed surprise at the widespread news reports suggesting otherwise.
Borno shares 50kg bags of rice per household
Borno State government has confirmed that it received grain allocation from the federal government prior to the anti-hardship protests across the country.
In May, the state received over 60 trucks of 50kg bags of rice (about 30,000 bags) according to Saturday Sun checks. These bags were distributed by the state special team supervised by the governor.
Gov. Babagana Zulum led the distributions in Gwoza, Mafa, Bama, Ngazai, Damboa, Maiduguri and its adjoining local government, Jere. A bag of 50k rice was given to each of the households.
A household consists of six family members based on the UN humanitarian intervention standard.
Zulum had also distributed 10,000 bags of rice in the state’s central town of Mafa, describing the exercise as the last batch of the federal government intervention.
Saturday Sun learnt that the grains were kept in the state’s store and other facilities within the Government House to ensure safety before distributions.
No Tinubu’s rice in Ebonyi
Ebonyi is a major producer of local rice in the country, but the 40 trucks of rice for each state of the federation, which President Bola Tinubu promised to give to Nigerians to cushion the general hardship in the country, were still being expected by the people of Ebonyi State as at the time of this report.
The people of the state have been expecting the rice but investigation by Saturday Sun shows that the rice has not arrived in the state.
When contacted, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor said he was not certain the state had received the said rice from the federal government.
Kano assures of equitable distribution amid scandal
It is not clear if the Kano State government had received the latest consignments of trice announced by the federal government just before the commencement of hardship protest.
Also, there have been reported cases of alleged diversion of government palliatives. Recently, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Shehu Wada Shagari was in the eye of the storm after some bags of rice were traced to his Islamic school in the state capital.
The scandal became public after protesters invaded the said Islamic school and carted away several bags of rice.
Although the Chief of Staff has pleaded his innocence to the charge, many critics were of the opinion that the process of disbursement of these palliatives needed to be reviewed.
Meanwhile, the federal government palliatives committee for Kano under the chairmanship of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin has assured of equitable distribution of the 23,644 – 25kg bags of rice allocated to the state.
The committee which has its membership drawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) New Nigerian People’s Party (NPPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), religious and traditional rulers, met at the National Assembly on Thursday to finalise the modalities for the distribution of the commodity.
Uncertainty over rice palliative in Benue
Benue State government has said that it was yet to receive the 20 trucks of rice promised by the federal government.
The Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Sir James Iorpuu, said part of what Benue Government had were the palliatives sent from the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) and the Northern Governors’ Forum, (NGF) which they have started distributing to the beneficiaries. The palliatives contained bags of corn.
Iorpuu said the palliatives were being shared across local government areas for onward distribution to vulnerable people.
Publicity Secretary of Labour Party (LP) in Benue state, Tersoo Orbunde said they have not heard anything concerning the rice.
“We contacted our State House of Assembly member, Hon. Cephas Dyako, to verify and give us the true position of things because up till now, we have not seen any such thing like rice the federal government said they had sent and the state is denying getting it.
“And we have seen some of the elected people, our Senators, sharing some certain things, including rice and fertilizers. So we wanted to be sure, whether those ones they were sharing were from the federal government or their personal efforts. But up till now, we are yet to get feedback. For now we have no information, we have not seen any rice and there is nowhere they are selling rice at N40,000 per bag in Benue.”
Enugu: We don’t have FG rice, says Enugu residents
Residents of Enugu State have denied receiving rice palliative from the federal government.
Some residents who spoke to Saturday Sun said they were yet to receive the commodity, adding that the government may have tricked them into having high hopes.
A youth leader in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu East Local Government Area, who did not want his name in print, said that he was not aware of the distribution of any rice in the state recently.
He recalled that the last time rice was shared in each ward in the stage was between February and March, 2024, when religious leaders, President Generals and some other stakeholders were mandated to share rice palliative to beneficiaries at the ward level.
Executive Director Rural Engagement and Development (RED) Foundation, Kingsley Ozor, said that there has not been a recent distribution of rice as palliative to the people.
He recalled that the last time his team monitored palliative sharing to the people was in April, adding that the process was fraught with irregularities by stakeholders.
“In that one that was shared then, there were so many ugly incidents. Some people moved the rice from where they were warehoused. We have evidence that some of the stakeholders who were asked to share the rice failed to do the right thing.
“They abused the process and some of them shared the rice among themselves,” he said.
Adamawa denies receiving rice
Adamawa State government says it has not received the rice palliatives promised by the federal government in the wake of the anti hunger protests across the country.
Government officials claim that there have only been stories in the media that 20 trailers of rice have been sent to each of the 36 states of the federation.
James Iliya, Adamawa State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, said that no truck of rice had arrived in the state and that the only consignment the state received was some part of the fertilizers earlier promised by the federal government.
The situation in Adamawa seems to defy any logical explanation as no one seems to claim responsibility for the whereabouts of the 12, 000 bags of rice meant for Adamawa people.
Saturday Sun took to the streets to enquire about the whereabouts of the much talked about 20 trailers of rice allocated to the state.
A political economist and public affairs commentator, Veno Yongo said, “From what I have gathered reliably, APC has been sharing some grains to its party faithful and they authoritatively tell their members that these are palliatives sent by the president. The situation in Adamawa is that of an opposition holding government at the state level while the ruling party holds sway at the centre.”
A student of the Adamawa State Polytechnic Yola, Makonzi Dishon speaking to Saturday Sun said: “Yes, I heard about it. We have been waiting to hear about the mode of distribution but everything is quiet now. The rumour has died down, we don’t know whether it is true that it has been sent and some people benefitted from it.”