As part of measures to ameliorate the ongoing hardship in the country, the federal government has dispatched 20 trucks of rice to each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Consequently, each state has received the supply with each truck containing 1,200 bags of 25kg rice for onward distribution to the most vulnerable in society.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday.
He said the consignment is the first step by the federal government to provide support to all the sub-nationals.
He said the states are expected to distribute the commodity to bring down the current hardship in the country.
The minister stated: “Now, the council deliberated on the state of affairs in Nigeria, especially the issue of food supply and shortage of food on the table of many Nigerians.
“And after exhaustive deliberation, the Minister of Agric had earlier been directed to ensure that food is being made available to Nigerians. And the understanding is that about 20 trucks of rice have already been supplied to each of the states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory. Each of the trucks of course is carrying about 1,200 25kg bags of rice.
“This is part of the measures that government is taking in addition to so many others to ensure that the hardship being experienced by Nigerians is drastically ameliorated.
“So for recap, each of the state governments has received 20 trucks of rice for onward distribution to the most vulnerable.
“This is a first step and the federal government will continue to support all the state governors and local governments, all the sub-nationals, so that the hardship experienced by most Nigerians in terms of shortage of food supply is breached.
“It is expected that the state governors will go ahead and distribute this food item to the most vulnerable so that the hardship like I said being experienced will be brought down significantly.”
The minister also hinted that President Tinubu plans to send a supplementary budget to the national assembly to accommodate any agreement that may be reached on the new national minimum wage.
Noting that the president is not averse to a new national minimum wage, he said the administration is conscious of approving what can be borne not just by the federal government but also by sub-nationals.
He said the president has directed the Ministry of Budget and National Planning to come up with additional support under the 2024 budget.
Idris stated: “Now, you are also aware that last week, the Nigeria Labour Congress met the president. This of course was part of the consultation that the President has agreed.
“Recall that he had met the organized labour sector. He had also met sub-nationals after the tripartite committee on Labour had submitted its report to ensure that there was a thorough analysis of the situation so that the government would come up with a minimum wage that works for all Nigerians, federal government, the sub-nationals, and the organised private sector. That was also discussed today.
“And government has also directed the Ministry of Budget to come up with additional support for the 2024 budget, so that any differential or any gaps that will exist in terms of what existed before the 2024 budget was approved, a supplementary budget, and also what the requirement for now.
“So, the government is working around the clock to ensure that it comes up with a minimum wage, like I said that works for all Nigerians.
“At the end of the day, this of course will be submitted to the national assembly so that you can have legislative backing.”
The government spokesman revealed that President Tinubu will meet with the organized Labour on Thursday, saying: “Let me also say that the president is also open to meeting the Nigerian Labour, Trade Union Congress, and all the affiliates. We expect that meeting to be held this coming Thursday.
“Recall that this was already what the Labour unions requested during their meeting with Mr. President last week. “So, the President agrees, he knows that the Labour wants to quickly find a lasting solution to the issue of minimum and the government is also anxious to put the issue of minimum wage behind it.
“So, it is expected that the NLC, TUC and all the affiliates as requested by them last week, will meet the president on Thursday. And after which the president will now transmit whatever the final agreement or what his views are on the tripartite committee report to the national assembly for legislation,” the minister stated.
The minister noted that FEC took note of the complaint of hardship by Nigerians and the government is ramping up efforts to ameliorate the problems.
“Now in all, the Federal Executive Council took note of some of the complaints amongst Nigerians, some of the issues raised in terms of transportation, in terms of food prices or food shortages in many homes around the country and the Federal Executive Council is ramping up all that needs to be done to ensure that food is being put on the table of most Nigerians,” he added.
On Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), he said FEC directed the committee on CNG to expedite the supply buses and provide conversion kits.
He stated: “The Federal Executive Council has directed the presidential Committee on CNG to expedite its activities to supply buses, to also make it possible for the conversion kits to be available to most Nigerians.
“Already they have started but the Federal Executive Council asked them to redouble their effort so that conversion kits that we need for the CNG are made available.
“Also the conversion centers that had earlier been approved will also be significantly upgraded so that Nigerians will have more conversion centres, and more conversion kits.
“The compliance level of CNG, the federal government has directed this should go up, so as to reduce our over reliance on PMS. And this will in turn also aid our energy transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy.”
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