TheCable

Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security, says he is working with the office of the national security adviser (NSA) for the smooth distribution of grains across states.

He added that the distribution of the grains, as approved by President Bola Tinubu, has kicked off in some states.

On February 8, Tinubu directed the immediate release of 42,000 metric tons of assorted food items from the strategic reserve and the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria, as a short-term response to the rising food shortage in the country.

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, announced the directive after a meeting of the special presidential committee on emergency food intervention.

During an interactive session with the national assembly joint committee on agriculture and rural development on Tuesday, Kyari said the directive is now being carried out.

He said the partnership with the NSA office is to avoid cases of looting recently witnessed in parts of the country.

“We have received directive and approval from the President to distribute, for immediate impact, 42,000 metric tons of assorted grains free of charge to the Nigerian population,” NAN quoted Kyari as saying.

“This was received in mid February. As we are speaking, we have a record of the distribution being carried out.

“But I want to plead with the honorable house and distinguished senators that some of the movements can’t be made public but a lot of states have started receiving their grains.

“Furthermore, 58,500 metric tons of milled rice from mega rice millers will also be released into the market for stabilisation.”

The minister added that the palliative distribution was to ameliorate the impact of the economic hardship on Nigerians.

He assured that the hardship would become a thing of the past soon.