Economic Crunch: Niger Starts Sales Of Subsidised Foodstuff

In an effort to ease the financial burden of high cost of food items, Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello has flagged off sales of subsidised staple food items in the state at 50 per cent of current market price.
The sale of the food items which include Rice, Maize and Millet is to be simultaneously carried out at various designated centres in all the headquarters of 274 wards of the state.
Governor Sani Bello who flagged off the sale in Minna through his Deputy, Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Ketso, said the intervention was part of state’s government palliative measures to cushion the effect of the arbitrary hike in prices of items in the market.
His words: “We feel the pains of our people and that is why we made it a priority to embark on the sale of one thousand five hundred and eighty metric tonnes of assorted and essential food items ranging from millet, rice and maize at highly subsidised rates.
“The purpose of this intervention is a result of our commitments to ensure food security and bring respite to the people amidst soaring food prices,” Governor Sani Bello stated.
The governor then said that adequate plans were in place to ensure that the food items were distributed to all the wards for sale to the public at the subsidised rate and that the government intend to make the public sale a continuous programme until the economic situation improves.
To this end, the governor directed that the modality for the sale of the items should be in the normal market measure.
He then directed officials at the ward levels to ensure strict compliance to the sales guideline, warning that government will not tolerate any act of sabotage or compromise in the sales of the food items.
His words: “All involved in the distribution and sales should be transparent and accountable. The items are meant for the people. There should be no compromise. Nobody is allowed to buy more than 5 mudus of rice and 10 each of millet and maize.
The governor also appealed to traders to review downward the general prices of goods and services stressing the call became necessary in view of perceived hike in prices of commodities during Ramadan season.