President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate release of more than 102,000 metric tons of various grain types from the National Food Reserve and the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria as a temporary response to the country’s worsening food crisis and the rising cost of commodities.
After the third and final meeting of the Special Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Intervention at the Aso Rock Villa on Thursday, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, revealed this to State House correspondents.
Idris stated, “The first is that 42,000 metric tons of maize, millet, garri, and other commodities that are in their strategic reserve have to be released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security so that Nigerians can access them right away.
The second is that we have had discussions with the Nigerian Rice Millers Association. We have requested that the people in charge of producing this rice open their stores.
They claim to be able to guarantee roughly 60,000 metric tons of rice. This will be made available, and we are confident that Nigerians will have enough for the next one to two months, maybe even up to six weeks.
The minister disclosed that in order to supplement any shortages noticed following the food items’ release, the administration will import.
“And now for the third item, the government is considering the possibility of importing some of these commodities as a temporary measure in the short term if it becomes absolutely necessary,” he disclosed.
The minister, who would not provide specifics, confirmed that the FG is prepared to take punitive action against individuals he labeled as food hoarders.
Details soon…
