News in Brief:
The federal government’s palliative food distribution program has drawn mixed reactions, with some Nigerians welcoming the immediate relief and others questioning its long-term effectiveness and transparency.
The federal government’s distribution of food palliatives across the country has been met with mixed reactions from Nigerians. While some expressed relief at the much-needed assistance, others questioned the effectiveness and transparency of the programme.
These reactions come in the wake of the announcement of distribution of bags of rice by Nigeria’s federal government to the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
According to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, each state will receive 20 trucks containing 1,200 bags of 25kg rice.
Concerns about adequacy
Generally, critics argued that a one-time handout of rice wouldn’t be enough to address chronic hunger. They have also called for a more sustainable approach that tackles the root causes of food insecurity. These include issues of low agricultural productivity and economic hardship. Some pointed out that a bag of rice cannot stop hunger in families, emphasising the need for long-term solutions.
A cross section of respondents who spoke to this publication, aired their views on the situation. According to Mr. Isaac, a civil servant resident in Benin, the programme solves nothing.
He goes on to query the effectiveness of the initiative in dealing with soaring prices in other essential commodities.
“How does such palliative reduce the price of toothpaste, pepper, tomatoes or garri? How often will be the palliative be shared like that is the only food one eats … The idea of distributing palliatives in forms of food is very dumb. It solves nothing!”
Also, another respondent resident in Bayelsa’s state capital of Yenagoa, who shared similar views, declared the move as wasteful. According to her, the only beneficiaries of the programme are the elite who will divert the trucks to their personal and cronies’ use.
She also noted the absence of such trucks as yet in the state, as no ‘shadow’ of them have been sighted.
Distribution issues raised
Also, some respondents have picked holes in the distribution process. Many Nigerians have expressed fears that the palliatives wouldn’t reach the intended beneficiaries. Some have even accused local officials of diverting aid for personal gain.
A source who craved anonymity revealed that the last palliative that Lagos state distributed, specifically in Fagbile Phase 3, was shared among community development associations (CDA) members. The source added that the intended beneficiaries of the move are always left out, in favour of the landlords of the area, who split the palliative among themselves.
Additionally, calls were made for a clearer selection process and stricter monitoring to ensure fair distribution.
Appreciation for intervention
However, despite the criticisms, others welcomed the government’s intervention. People struggling with rising food prices saw the rice as a temporary lifeline. The distribution offered some immediate relief for families facing difficult circumstances.
Miss. John Ebube, a formative school teacher in Benin, stated that the idea had some merit, ‘as far as the things sent get to the people it is meant for’.
“The government, should locate homes for the less privilege and also erect a canopy to attend to those in the streets, each local government should have their own share,” she advised.
Looking ahead
Overall, the mixed reactions highlight the complex challenge of addressing food insecurity in Nigeria. To this end the government set in motion series of plans to address the situation. This includes the recent announcement by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, of a 150-day duty-free import window for food commodities. These items include maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas.
However, experts say that long-term solutions are needed, although palliatives provide temporary assistance. They suggest a multi-pronged approach that includes boosting agricultural production, creating job opportunities, and strengthening social safety nets.
Effectively, the success of the food distribution program, and the government’s ability to regain public trust, will hinge on ensuring transparency, effectiveness, and a clear roadmap for long-term solutions.
This is a nice one. It’s however sad that the government of the day is detached from the true reality of things on ground. For instance, how often do they take well given advice from views like the one you have written above? It’s a sad situation.