President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate release of more than 102,000 metric tons of various grain kinds from the National Food Reserve and the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria as a temporary reaction to the country’s worsening food crisis and the rising cost of commodities.
After the third and last meeting of the Special Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Intervention at the Aso Rock Villa on Thursday, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, revealed this to State House media.
“The first one is that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has been directed to release about 42,000 metric tons of maize, millet, garri, and other commodities in their strategic reserve so that these items will be made available to Nigerians; 42,000 metric tons immediately,” Idris disclosed.
“The second one is that we have held meetings with the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria. Those who are responsible for producing this rice and we have asked them to open up their stores.”
“They’ve told us that they can guarantee about 60,000 metric tons of rice. This will be made available and we know that that is enough to take Nigerians the next one month to six weeks, perhaps up to two months.”
“Now, the third item is that government is also looking at the possibility, if it becomes absolutely necessary, as an interim measure in the short run to also import some of these commodities,” he revealed