FG stops sale of N40,000 subsidised rice to civil servants

The Federal Government has stopped the planned sale of subsidised rice to civil servants.

It has, therefore, withdrawn the circular in which it directed civil servants interested in subsidised rice to apply.

This was made known in a fresh circular from the Ministry of Special Duty and Inter-Governmental Affairs obtained by our correspondent on Thursday in Abuja.

The circular, dated August 2, 2024, which was signed by the ministry’s Director of Human Resources, Aderonke Jaiyesimi, did not give any reason for the withdrawal of the initial memo.

It also did not indicate if the scheme was stopped or only suspended.

The circular read, “I am directed to refer to our internal circular in the Ministry (Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs) of August 1, 2024, on the above subject matter and to inform you that the internal circular is hereby withdrawn. Further details will be communicated in due course.

“Please bring the contents of this internal circular to the attention of staff in your respective departments and units for their information and proper guidance.”

Earlier, the ministry said all interested staff members were to complete a Google form on the OHCSF website and submit it to the director of human resources for endorsement.

It noted that payment for and the distribution of the rice would be coordinated by designated offices while the chairman, Joint Union Council of the ministry, would serve as an observer for transparency reasons in the course of the exercise.

The Federal Government had recently said it had created centres across the country where Nigerians could purchase 50 kg bags of rice for N40,000.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, said the initiative was one of several initiatives by the Tinubu administration to ease living conditions for citizens.