Workers cut across the civil service in Abuja have expressed concern over the suspension of the sale of the Federal Government’s subsidised rice.
The rice is being sold at N40,000 per 50 kilogram bag.
They made their feelings known after discovering the sudden disappearance of officials at different registration units for the purchase of the rice.
Recall that the Federal Government promised to sell 30,000 metric tonnes of 50 kilograms bags of milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidised rate of N40,000.
While inaugurating the scheme, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Abubakar Kyari, explained that the move by the government was part of its intervention and efforts to crash the prices of food items in Nigerian markets.
The sale commenced and lasted for over a week, before it was put on hold without notice, an action, workers that were yet to benefit from, decried.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Mrs Mary Nwachukwu, said she was surprised and disturbed when she got to the point of payment at the federal secretariat and found out the officials were not on duty.
“I was encouraged to come to the registration unit at the secretariat, only for me to be told that the whole thing has been suspended.
“Nobody knows what may happen next and if the scheme will still continue,’’ she asked.
Mrs Kudirat Muktah, another civil servant who said she experienced delay in accessing the rice at the initial stage, frowned at the suspension order
“I was here for two days to get my name registered, but because of the huge crowd, I decided to wait until it eases off, only to be told now that the exercise has been suspended.
“What I heard from the grapevine was that the suspension was as a result of the rowdiness and chaos at the registration and payment point.