The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has identified the states that have benefitted from the Federal Government’s COVID-19 rice relief.
She made the disclosure during a briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Tuesday.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari in March ordered the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to release 150 truckloads of seized rice for distribution to the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
But Farouq noted at the briefing that only 40 out of the 150 trucks have been released by Customs.
She said that these 40 trucks have been distributed to Lagos and Ogun, where there is a lockdown ongoing, as well as Ebonyi and Imo states.
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“On the 150 trucks from Customs, this is what was pledged by Customs but so far, we have only 40 trucks available.
“We have been able to collect 20 trucks of rice from Lagos depot and we have given Lagos State their share and we have taken to Ogun while the one for FCT is on the way.
“We have also given to Imo and Ebonyi states. We gave two trucks of rice to Ebonyi and three to Imo.
“Why we have a disparity in number is because we are supposed to get 19 trucks from the Onne depot but unfortunately, we were only able to get five but we are still in talks with Nigeria Customs to see how we can get the balance,” Farouq said.