FG withdraws plan to sell 50kg bag of rice at N40,000 to civil servants

The federal government has made a U-turn on its earlier plan to sell a 50kg bag of rice at N40,000.

The decision was communicated via a circular entitled, ‘Withdrawal of Internal Circular on Sale of Subsidized Rice to Public Servants,’ which was signed by permanent secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs (Human Resources Management Department).

“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Affairs) of 1st August, 2024 on the above subject matter and to inform you that the Internal Circular is hereby withdrawn.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 addressed to directors and departmental heads read.

The government provided no reason for the decision, putting a number of civil servants in disarray.

One civil servant who works in the Ministry of Power said this is a piece of evidence that the government takes on-the-spur-of-moment decisions, noting that it is a blow for her and many of her colleagues.

Last Friday, BusinessDay had reported that the federal government had concluded plans to sell a 50kg bag of rice at N40,000 to public servants with a view to alleviating the food crisis in the nation and its effects on Nigerians.

This had earlier been disclosed in a letter seen by BusinessDay by the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs on Friday.

It had noted that payment for and the distribution of the rice would be coordinated by designated offices while the  chairman, Joint Union Council of the ministry, would serve as an observer for transparency reasons in the course of the exercise.