Niger State Government to Distribute 1,000 Trucks of Grains at Subsidized Rates for Ramadan
By Yahaya Zakka, Minna
The Niger State Government has announced its plan to distribute 1,000 trucks of assorted grains at subsidized rates across all 25 Local Government Areas to support residents during the Ramadan season.
This initiative was disclosed by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago during a stakeholders’ engagement at the Government House in Minna.
Governor Bago emphasized that the purpose of the engagement was to strategize on how to effectively lower food prices for the people during Ramadan.
He noted that the State Government, in partnership with the private sector initiative Niger Foods, has harvested millions of tons of food sufficient to meet the needs of the state.
Each Local Government Area will receive 10 trucks of food every 10 days throughout Ramadan, which will be sold at subsidized market prices.
Additionally, 500 trucks of assorted grains will be distributed for free to vulnerable members of the community.
To facilitate this process, two committees will be established across the 25 Local Government Areas. One committee will consist of members from the formal sector to coordinate sales to civil servants, while the other will include representatives from the informal sector, such as religious and traditional leaders, as well as market vendors, to manage sales to other residents.
Governor Bago also stated that the sale of grains at subsidized rates will occur quarterly to ensure that all citizens can access affordable food.
He revealed that the State Government has generated 50 billion Naira from agriculture and livestock, highlighting the importance of agriculture for the livelihood of Nigerlites.
Furthermore, the Governor announced the saving of 5 billion Naira from excess expenditures, which is being utilized to construct hospitals for the public.
He urged those responsible for the sales and distribution of the grains to act with integrity, warning that anyone found to be dishonest would face consequences.
The committees are expected to develop operational templates within the week, ahead of the food distribution.
The stakeholder engagement involved members of the Imam Forum, leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Local Government Council Chairmen, Secretaries of the eight Emirates, and representatives from the All Progressives Congress and market associations.
