The federal government, under President Bola Tinubu, has suspended its plan to sell subsidized 50kg bags of rice to civil servants at ₦40,000 per bag.
This initiative, which was recently announced as part of efforts to alleviate the high cost of living for citizens, has been put on hold.
Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, had highlighted the plan as one of several measures by the Tinubu administration to ease the burden on Nigerians.
The initiative was set to be managed by the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, with public servants instructed to complete a Google form on the OHCSF website and submit it through their respective human resources departments.
However, in a recent development, the government has issued a new directive halting the initiative. The announcement was made in a communiqué titled “Withdrawal of Internal Circular on Sale of Subsidized Rice to Public Servants,” signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs (Human Resources Management Department). The communiqué, addressed to Directors and Heads of Departments, stated that the previous internal circular from August 1, 2024, had been withdrawn.
“I am directed to refer to our internal circular in the Ministry (Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs) of 1st August 2024 on the above subject matter and to inform you that the Internal Circular is hereby withdrawn. Further details will be communicated in due course. Please bring the contents of this internal circular to the attention of staff in your respective Departments and Units for their information and proper guidance,” the circular reads.
No reason was provided for the suspension of the program, leaving many civil servants who had registered for the subsidized rice in uncertainty.
