Hunger To Vanish As NEC Approves N5bn Subsidy Palliative With 5 Trucks Of Rice

The National Economic Council, NEC, on Thursday said that the Federal Government has approved N5 billion grant to be given to each of the 36 states of the federation for the procurement of grains as well as five trucks of rice to each state as palliatives to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

The NEC also approved the distribution of 40,000 bags of maize to be distributed to states.

It also directed the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to distribute food items to states sharing border with Niger Republic over the recent political instability in the country.

These were some of the outcomes of the NEC meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State said the approval of N5 billion and trucks of rice and grains were part of measures to bring temporary solutions to the high cost of living caused by the subsidy removal, as government continued to work with more enduring programmes.

He said the states are to purchase 100,000 bags of rice and beans among other items.

Zulum said that NEC mandated NEMA to distribute food items to state sharing borders with Niger Republic.

On his side, the Governor of Anambra state, Prof. Charles Soludo, said that the review of social register was in progress.

He said Nigeria was already having refugees from Niger Republic, which he said is affecting the distribution of palliatives.

However, the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, said only N2 billion has so far been given to states instead of the N5 billion approved