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Tag: Spoilt Palliative Rice

  • COVID-19 lockdown: FG reacts to accusations of releasing spoilt palliative rice to states

    COVID-19 lockdown: FG reacts to accusations of releasing spoilt palliative rice to states

    The Federal Government has said the bags of rice distributed to Oyo and other Southwestern states were inspected and certified fit for human consumption by the National Agency for Food Drugs and Administration Control (NAFDAC).

    The reaction came, following allegations that the rice distributed by the Federal Government to Oyo State to cushion the effect of the lockdown was unfit for human consumption.

    Oyo State had alleged at the weekend that the bags of rice were infested with weevils.

    The state also said plans were in place to return the 1800 bags of rice.

    Speaking yesterday in Abuja during the daily Presidential Task Force briefing, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, said the news that the rice the Federal Government distributed to the Southwest was unfit, was “fake news”.

    The minister also noted that she spoke with the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi, to ascertain the true position of the rice delivered and he confirmed that the rice was in good condition.

    Farouq said: “As you may recall, we mentioned here that we distributed the rice relief to the states. The rice was handed over to us by the Nigerian Customs Service and it was assessed by NAFDAC who issued a clearance before the goods were released for onward distribution to the states.

    “So, as far as we are concerned, the rice was certified fit for human consumption.

    “We had an issue in Oyo, which was officially reported this morning, but two or three days ago, we saw news flying around that all the rice we took to the Southwestern part of the country were bad and that Lagos had taken its delivery to the lagoon and other states have rejected theirs.

    “I want to say very categorically that it is fake news. It is not true. This afternoon, I spoke with the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi and he assured me that the one he received in Ekiti and other states are in good condition.”

    The minister, however, noted that the process of storage of grains might affect its colouration or make it damp.

    “Let us be very clear on this issue of rice. We all know that even in our houses, if we keep foodstuffs in damp places especially grains of that nature, it is bound to have some colouration, but it does not mean that it is not fit for human consumption.

    “The states are very happy that the Federal Government has come to support them and it is going a long way in alleviating the sufferings of the targeted beneficiaries.”

    On diversion of payment meant for N-Power enrollees to procure palliatives for COVID-19, she said: “I know that we all know that it is practically impossible for anybody, be it a minister or a chief executive in this country to divert funds that have been appropriated and that are in a particular budget line for another budget line for the single reasons that we are operating the TSA.

  • COVID-19 lockdown: Outcry in Osun over government’s distribution of spoilt palliative rice

    The Osun State Government has commenced an investigation into some adulterated bags of rice shared to residents as palliatives to cushion the effects of lockdown in the state.

    There was an outcry in some parts of the state, following the distribution of 6020 bags of rice shared by the state government on Wednesday, as residents were complaining bitterly about the quality of the rice shared.

    The Commissioner of Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, in a statement yesterday said, “the government had received complaints that some of the distributed bags of rice may not have met the expected quality.”

    She expressed dissatisfaction over the complaints received by the government from the citizens that some bags of rice share were adulterated.

    Her word, “the State government was pained by the development and had immediately begun an investigation to establish the source of the affected bags.

    “Governor Adegboyega Oyetola is particularly pained by this development, considering the fact that it has never compromised quality in its provision of economic stimulus for the people of Osun in spite of its limited resources.

    “We are a responsible and responsive government that places a premium on the well-being of its people and would not do anything to jeopardize its citizens’ health. Upon receipt of the complaints, the State Government has immediately begun investigations to establish the source of the few bags that appear not to have met the quality expected.”

    She noted that all the 6020 bags of rice were purchased in the state and the government has invited all suppliers to unravel the source of the problem.