The Federal Government of Nigeria has commenced the sale of 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice at a subsidised price of N40,000 per 50kg bag to Sokoto State civil servants.

The Sokoto State Head of Service, Alhaji Sulaiman Fulani, who launched the initiative on Thursday, urged civil servants to conduct themselves responsibly during the purchase process.

A code number was required of the participants to receive a treasury receipt as proof of payment, after which they will be issued a collection receipt indicating the pickup location and time.

According to a Federal Government representative at the event, Bello Muhammed, emphasised that the rice would be sold on a strict ?one person, one bag? basis.

?Beneficiaries will be verified using their National Identification Number and must present a valid ATM card with ?40,000 for payment,? Muhammed said.

The rice will be distributed from a total of 33 trucks carrying 19,800 bags, with 65% (12,870 bags) allocated to state civil servants and the remainder to federal workers and the private sector.

Some of the dignitaries at the event included the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Mustapha Abubakar Alkali; Sokoto SEMA Special Adviser, Hon. Aminu Liman Bodinga; SEMA Executive Secretary, Bashir Muhammad; and SEMA Director of Relief and Rehabilitation, Mustapha Umar, among others. (The Guardian)

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