The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Wednesday, commended the Federal Government for rolling out N50kg bags of rice to be sold for N40,000, lower from the current N70,000 market rate.
The Federal Government announced the cheaper rice on Monday as part of measures to forestall the planned hunger protest scheduled to start today (Thursday).
In a statement on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, Afenifere reiterated its call for the organisers of the protest to call it off in the interest of peace, saying the government had started addressing their concerns.
“You will recall that the government has not only begun the distribution of 20 trucks of rice per state, it has also directed that a bag be sold at N40,000 instead of above N70,000, at which it is being sold currently. Reports even have it that 10 additional trucks have been dispatched, making it a total of 30 trucks per state.
“Some states, such as Katsina, Bayelsa, etc, have acknowledged the receipt of the commodity, just as some of them have even begun distribution.
“Also, in view of steps being taken by the government to address identified problems in the country, particularly with regard to food, Afenifere reiterates its earlier call on those behind a nationwide, 10-day protest to shelve it,” Ajayi said.
The organisation, however, urged the President “to urgently ease the trauma of farmers in the country through, among others, an adroit and transparent utilisation of the N2tn package recently approved for the Accelerated Stabilisation and Advancement Plan of which agriculture is a key component as put forward by the Presidential Economic Coordination Council.”