Ogun State Governor Unveils Sale of Subsidized Rice

On Thursday, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun announced the sale of subsidized rice as part of the Federal Government’s initiative to alleviate food inflation. During the launch at the Arcade Ground of the Governor’s Office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, he revealed plans to extend the sale of other subsidized food items across all 20 local governments in the state.

Abiodun emphasized that implementing this initiative statewide will enhance its reach, with essential items like garri, rice, and beans to be offered at significantly reduced prices.

“We will soon implement our version of this scheme in each local government, meaning we will reach all areas to ensure the grassroots benefit,” he stated.

The governor noted that the distribution would target various groups, including civil servants at both federal and state levels, organized private sectors, artisans, trade unions, non-governmental organizations, student bodies, market women, community development associations, and traditional and religious organizations.

To ensure a fair and equitable distribution, he mentioned that the office of the Head of Service, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the National Security Adviser (NSA) have developed a structured template. This template will facilitate the distribution of commodities across all 20 local governments.

The sales will commence in Abeokuta for the Ogun Central Senatorial District, with immediate launches in Ilaro for Ogun West and Ijebu-Ode for Ogun East.

Governor Abiodun urged beneficiaries to maintain order at sales points and adhere to the schedule established by the committee in charge.

“To promote accountability, there will be no cash payments; instead, transactions will occur through Point of Sale (PoS) machines, with physical verification required at the point of sale. Double registrations will not be permitted, and the National Identity Number (NIN) will be verified to prevent any fraudulent practices,” he explained.

He praised President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to addressing food inflation and noted the importance of liberalizing the sale and distribution of petroleum products, which has saved the country over N11 trillion in a year.

Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, the Head of Service, described the initiative as a Federal Government effort to enhance citizens’ livelihoods.

Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, represented by Mrs. Ayo Ajayi, commended Ogun State for establishing the best template for the sale of subsidized rice, indicating that the Federal Government plans to adopt this model in other states. He highlighted that the initiative aims to reduce food prices significantly, with verification of the NIN and a payment of N40,000 for a 50-kilogram bag of rice through an Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

Waheed Oloyede, the state chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, applauded Governor Abiodun for consistently releasing funds to settle pensioners’ gratuities and recognized him as the first governor to embrace the Federal Government’s initiative with this program launch.