Edo govt admits receiving trucks of rice from FG

The Edo state has said it received some trucks-load of rice from the federal government, noting that the food items were distributed in line with the template set out, although the state had denied receiving any before.

Speaking to reporters, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Hon. Chris Nehikhare stated this in Benin City on Wednesday, in his words, “On the issue of the federal government giving us rice a few months ago, they brought some few truck-loads of rice and they were distributed according to the formula they set.

The rice were part of the federal government’s palliatives to states to cushion economic hardship on Nigerians, Nehikhare said.

“They were sent to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, orphanages, local government areas and other people.

“Edo state government did not touch one of them. They were distributed the way it was designed to be given out,” he added.

The commissioner’s clarification came amid controversies generated after youth broke into a warehouse and looted rice, during the August 1, hunger protest in the state.

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Ex-governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, accused the state government of hoarding the federal government’s rice in the looted warehouse, which was meant for the people.

The state government and the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), at the time berated Oshiomhole for his comments.

The PDP led state had initially denied receiving anything from the federal government, but Abubakar Momoh, minister of Niger Delta affairs, said that each state, including Edo, received 20 trucks of rice.

In what looks like a reply to the accusations by the state opposition party APC, that the state government is being economical with the truth, Nehikhare clarified saying, “Edo State Government does not keep rice. We have spent N2.2 billion to feed our people.

“What can 20 trucks of rice do when there are close to seven million people in the state? How does that help?”

According to the commissioner, the state government provided free bus services since September as part of its measures to fight poverty.

“I will state categorically that the Edo State Government does not buy rice. It did not buy rice.

“What it did is to provide N2.2 billion to the Christian Association of Nigeria to purchase food items: garri, yam, plantain and rice to give to the vulnerable people, and that is a deliberate government policy,” he said.