Nigeria Customs Rice In the bid to alleviate food scarcity in Nigeria, Nigeria Customs has commenced selling the food items seized from smugglers.
This was unveiled by the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, during the flag-off of the initiative in Lagos on Thursday, February 22nd, 2024.
Food Scarcity in Nigeria has led to incessant increases in the prices of food items and other essential commodities in the market, recently. This had made it extremely difficult for many Nigerians to survive amidst oil subsidy removal and naira floatation policies by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
To alleviate the food scarcity, the Nigerian Customs re-bagged the seized food items, mostly rice, into 25kg size and sold at a giveaway price of N10,000 per bag.
Also, the program was configure in a way that no individual can purchase more than one bag since it requires verification of being a citizen of Nigeria using the National Identification Number (NIN).
The rice, according to the Customs, is only available for Nigerians residing around Customs operation areas.
CGC Adeniyi stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in the distribution process, urging Nigerians participating in the exercise to refrain from selling the rice in markets or hoarding it for purposes other than domestic consumption.
Speaking further, the CGC said the NCS secured approval from the government to dispose of the seized food items to needy Nigerians at discounted prices after satisfying the verification process of presenting the National Identification Number (NIN).
He emphasized, “The target groups include artisans, teachers, nurses, religious bodies, and other Nigerians within our operational areas. The intention is to reach out directly to members through these organized structures to ensure the maximum impact of this exercise.”
He, however, emphasized that the initiative's primary objective is to provide essential food items to those in need, in line with the Nigeria Customs Service's commitment to enhancing its social welfare responsibility programs.
“It is imperative that beneficiaries of this exercise understand that the items are not to be resold. We take a strong stance against any form of profiteering or exploitation of this initiative. We urge Nigerians to report any incidents of misuse or unauthorized resale of the seized food items.” the CGC said.
Category: World-News
Tag: Nigeria Customs Begin Sales of 25Kg Bag of Rice at N10k to Nigerians
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Published 2/23/2024 1:33:04 PM