Reports indicate that the Federal Government of Nigeria has started selling 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice to Sokoto State civil servants at a reduced rate of N40,000 per 50kg bag.

This initiative aims to alleviate and mitigate the impact of the ongoing food crisis and hardship in the country.

During the lunch on Thursday, January 30, 2025, the Sokoto State Head of Service, Alhaji Sulaiman S/Fulani, urged civil servants to maintain orderliness during the purchasing process.

“This initiative is aimed at alleviating the hardship faced by workers due to the rising cost of food items. I urge all beneficiaries to ensure a smooth and fair distribution process,” he said.

According to Sulaiman, buyers must provide a code number to receive a treasury receipt as proof of payment.

“After obtaining the treasury receipt, beneficiaries will be issued a collection receipt indicating their pick-up location and time,” he added.

He expressed gratitude to Governor Dr. Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto for ensuring that Sokoto was among the first states to benefit from the initiative.

“The Governor’s dedication to the welfare of civil servants played a significant role in bringing this relief package to our state,” he noted.

A Federal Government representative at the event said, “the rice will be sold on a strict ‘one person, one bag’ basis to ensure that as many people as possible benefit from this subsidy,” the official stated.

He further mentioned that each beneficiary would be verified using their National Identification Number (NIN) and must present a valid ATM card with N40,000 for payment.

“We are ensuring transparency in this process to avoid any form of exploitation,” he said.

It was reported that a total of 33 trucks carrying 19,800 bags of rice have been allocated to Sokoto State, with 65% (12,870 bags) designated for state civil servants and the remaining 35% allocated to federal civil servants and private sector workers in the state.