Abia State Government Denies Receiving 20 Trucks of Rice from Federal Government
The Abia State government has refuted claims that it has received 20 trucks of rice from the federal government as part of a palliative measure under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Prince Okey Kanu, the State Commissioner for Information, stated that no palliatives have arrived in Abia, and the state has not been informed of any such assistance from the federal government. He dismissed the reports about the distribution of 50kg bags of rice for N40,000 as “false.”
Kanu emphasized, “We have not received any trucks of rice from the Federal Government, and the claim about selling 50kg bags of rice for N40,000 is completely untrue.”
He further clarified, “We do not engage with rumors or speculative reports. There is a clear protocol for communication regarding federal palliatives, and we have received no such message.”
When asked whether it would be prudent for the state government to seek confirmation from the federal government, Kanu responded that such action was unnecessary. “If the news were legitimate, we would have received official communication from the federal government directly,” he added.
The Nigerian government, led by President Tinubu, recently announced that it had distributed 20 trucks of rice to each state to mitigate the impacts of food inflation and general economic challenges. This announcement has sparked controversy, with some states, including Edo and Adamawa, also denying receipt of the rice.
Rev Olu Martins, Deputy Director of Media for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign organization in Edo State, asserted, “The Edo State government has not received any rice from the Federal Government or the Aliko Dangote Foundation. President Tinubu did not mention in his speech that rice was sent to any state. If such aid was dispatched, there should be records of the receiving ministry or agency in Edo State.”
In response, the Niger Delta Minister criticized the state governors, claiming they were unfair to President Tinubu. He pointed out, “Governors who claim not to have received the 20 trucks of rice are not being honest. There have been incidents of people breaking into warehouses to retrieve goods. It is evident that some governors, including the one from Edo State, were involved in these processes. The Edo governor himself organized a protest and expressed intentions to relay the message to the Federal Government.”
