Only a few states appear to have received the 20 trucks of rice palliative earmarked for each of the 36 states by the Federal Government and the issue is causing anxiety, Sunday Vanguard understands.

A survey at the weekend shows no northern state apart from Kano had received the consignment of rice while in the South-West, only Oyo claimed that the trucks had arrived.

In the South-South, Akwa–Ibom, Rivers, and Bayelsa States’ officials confirmed receiving the latest palliative while others said they had not arrived.

Delta State government said the rice had not been received as of Friday noon while Edo and Cross River States’ officials did not respond to inquiries.

The Federal Government had, last Monday, said it had allocated 740 trucks of rice to the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

Each state including the FCT, under the arrangement, is expected to get 20 trucks containing 1,200 bags of 25kg each and the rice is to be distributed to the most vulnerable in the society.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Minister, who was flanked by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said that the President directed the Minister of Agriculture to ensure that food is made available to Nigerians.

He explained that the distribution of trucks of rice was also to ensure that the hardship in the country is ameliorated, adding that it’s expected that the state governors will distribute the trucks of rice to the most vulnerable.

Delta: No rice yet – Ahon, CPS

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Delta State, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed to Sunday Vanguard that the state had not received its share of the palliative.

We received rice –Bayelsa Commissioner

Koku-Obiyai, Bayelsa State Information Commissioner, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, who confirmed receipt of the rice in Yenagoa, the state capital, said, ”Yes, the state has received the palliative.

“I just confirmed from the Chairman of SEMA that the state has received 20 truckloads of 25 kg bags of rice.

“The governor will be informed. In Bayelsa State, we do not distribute palliative along party lines. Everybody is suffering, when I was in the House of Assembly, Governor Diri insisted that everybody should benefit from such distributions.”

Chair of the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Hon Walama Igrubia, also confirmed the delivery of the palliative when contacted.

‘A-Ibom received 24,000 bags’

In Akwa Ibom State, the Commissioner for Information, Ini Ememobong, acknowledged receipt of 24,000 bags of 25 kg rice from the Federal Government to cushion the hardship of the current food crisis in the country.

He explained that the state government added another 24,000 bags of 25 kg from the Federal Government to increase the quantity to 48,000 bags to ensure that more families benefit from the intervention.

His words: “Through this food intervention, the government will share 20 bags of rice each to 2,272 villages in the state.

“This is in addition to the over 100,000 families drawn from the social register, who have already received and others who will be receiving free food items from the state government through the Bulk Purchase Agency.

“This food intervention by the government is aimed at cushioning the effect of the hardship currently faced by our citizens, and reducing extreme hunger and poverty as stipulated by Sustainable Development Goal 1.

“However, the long-term and sustainable solution remains the back-to-farm initiative of the state government to boost local food production, which is why the governor declared the first and third Fridays of the month as work-free farming days by the governor.

“Additionally, the Ministry of Agriculture has undertaken several strategic interventions, including distributing cassava cuttings, maize grains, pepper seedlings, and coconut seedlings to 135 public primary, and secondary schools, and shared 150,000 cocoa seedlings with cocoa farmers.

“It had also distributed 40,000 oil palm seedlings to oil palm farmers, 80,000 pepper seedlings to vegetable farmers, four piglets, three weaners (goats) to 1,200 livestock farmers, 50-day old chicks with six bags of feed distributed to 700 poultry farmers, and bags of feeds distributed to 200 aquaculture farmers.

“These are in addition to the provision of livelihood grants of N150,000 to 1,560 beneficiaries, agricultural inputs (day-old chicks, juveniles, feed, etc), and services to 900 farmers undertaken under the AKCARES Scheme.

“Distribution of the federal and state governments’ food intervention will be done at the local government council headquarters where respective council chairmen will ensure that 20 bags each are safely transported to all the gazetted villages. Dates for the distribution will be announced soon.”

Fubara sets up LOC for distribution in Rivers

In Rivers State, the latest palliative from the Federal Government arrived Lagos on Wednesday.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara revealed that a Local Organizing Committee (LOC) headed by the Caretaker Chairmen of every local government has been set up to distribute the food items to the most vulnerable people in every nook and cranny of the state.

The governor spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Wenike Danagogo, during the joint flag-off of the Federal Government Grain Distribution with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Port-Harcourt.

The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joe Johnson, who confirmed that the state received the palliative to Sunday Vanguard on Wednesday, said, “As a government, we are doing our best to cushion the effect of the hard times on our people.

“Last Easter, for instance, we distributed rice to the most vulnerable people. There are other measures put in place by the government to mitigate the hardship.”

Johnson assured that nobody would compromise the distribution process, and political interest would not determine it.

Katsina: No rice truck yet

In Katsina State, as of noon Friday, the Federal Government’s truck of rice purportedly dispatched to the state was yet to arrive.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer, Katsina SEMA, Bello Mamman, said he had no idea whether the rice truck was on its way and when it will arrive.

Efforts to reach the DG, SEMA, Hajiya Binta Dagani, for further clarification were not successful.

Mamman advised that we check back on Monday as the DG SEMA was out of the state on official assignment.

Plateau: Consignment yet to arrive

Our correspondent in Plateau State quoted officials as saying they were yet to receive the 20 trucks of rice which the Federal Government promised.

The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Musa Ashoms, confirmed in a telephone interview that the consignment was yet to arrive.

We have not received any truck yet – Borno SEMA

The North East Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Sirajo Garba Maidugu, in an interview with Sunday Vanguard, said his office was yet to receive any correspondence regarding how and when the 20 trucks will be delivered to the states, especially Borno and Yobe.

“Sincerely, our office has not received any correspondence in that regard”, he said.

“We don’t know whether the disbursement will be carried out directly to the state governments or through NEMA but the moment I get information, I will furnish you accordingly. But for now we are yet to be in the picture.”

On his part, the Director General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), who is also the Secretary of the Palliative Committee, Mohammed Barkindo, said the state government was yet to receive any truck.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. Mohammed Goje’s phone was switched off when Sunday Vanguard tried to reach him to confirm whether they had received the rice consignment.

Kaduna: Officials mum

As of Thursday afternoon, it was not clear whether Kaduna State had received the 20 trucks of rice.

Calls to officials in the state, including the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, to ask if they had received the rice were not answered.

Oyo begins distribution

In Oyo State, the rice consignment had apparently arrived as officials had begun distribution.

The flag-off ceremony featured a symbolic presentation of the rice to Local Government Executive Chairmen for onward distribution across the 33 local council areas of the state.

Governor Makinde, represented by his deputy, Bayo Lawal, said the distribution exercise was structured to reach communities in both urban and rural areas of the state, ensuring equitable access and coverage across Oyo.

Ondo: No rice yet

In Ondo State, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the state government was yet to receive the 20 trucks of rice.

Adeniyan said that once the trucks arrived, distribution would commence.

Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolawole Alimi, said the state was yet to receive the rice palliative.

He wondered if the rice palliative could take care of the excruciating hunger in the land, calling on the Federal Government to resolve the inflationary issues troubling the masses and their purchasing power.

Ogun waits

Ogun State government said it had not received its share of the rice.

In a telephone chat, Special Adviser to Ogun State Governor on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, said the state government was awaiting its consignment.

Akinmade added that when the state gets the consignment, it will put in place a committee that will include necessary stakeholders to oversee its distribution.

He assured that the state government will ensure that the commodity gets to the targeted beneficiaries.

Ekiti waits too

Speaking with Sunday Vanguard on Friday morning, Ekiti State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr Taiwo Olatunbosun, said, “I am yet to get an appropriate briefing from the coordinating body on when the vehicle will be in.

“It is when we have that information that we would be able to make appropriate comment

“I am not sure we already have delivery of the grains but I’m aware that it was announced after the Federal Executive Council meeting that states would be given certain quantities and truckloads of rice, but as soon as we have details of the consignments, I will let you know”.

Kwara in waiting game

Kwara State government, at press time, was yet to receive its 20 trucks of lorry of bags of rice as expected from the Presidency.

Sunday Vanguard gathered from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security that no such consignment had arrived in the state.

“The state government hasn’t received its consignment because we haven’t seen any indication to that effect here”, said a source in the ministry who craved anonymity.

“There is no way such consignment would arrive that our ministry would not be duly informed”.

Meanwhile calls made to the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaiye, were not answered and he didn’t respond to an SMS sent to him on the issue at press time.

Sokoto State officials, on their part, said they were yet to receive their share.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Muhammadu Bello Wamakko, said: “We just heard it but we are yet to receive any circular to that effect from anybody”

Our man in Zamfara State also quoted an official as saying they were yet to receive the rice allocation.

The Director General (DG) Media and Communication to Zamfara State Governor, Malam Nuhu Salisu Anka, told Sunday Vanguard telephone, “We are yet to receive our allocation”.

Kebbi State government, also on its part, confirmed it was yet to receive the 20 trucks of rice approved by President Tinubu.

Alhaji Ahmed Idris, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said that as soon as the state government receives the consignment, it will share it with the beneficiaries.

The situation is the same in Benue State where the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Sir James Iorpuu, said they were yet to receive their allocation of 20 trucks of rice.

Iorpuu, however, acknowledged that the agency had received some food palliative from the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, as well as the Northern Governors’ Forum, NGF.

He said: “We have not received the 20 trucks of rice in my office but the Federal Government had sent a different palliative. Some came from the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and some from the Northern Governors’ Forum, NGF.”

According to him, the state government had already flagged-off the distribution of the palliative from NEMA in Makurdi.

Our correspondent in Niger State also said the rice palliative was yet to arrive in the state as of yesterday morning.

The Public Relations Officer of the state Ministry of Agriculture, Aisha Babadoko, said the ministry was unaware of the palliative.

The Chief Press Secretary to the state Governor, Bologi Ibrahim, when contacted on the issue, also said he was not aware of the delivery of the trucks of rice but promised to find out from the Commissioner of Agriculture but had not as of the time of going to press. (Sunday Vanguard)

•Truck of rice

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