President orders release of 10,000 tons of grain to counter price increase

monjola sotubo

April 25, 2016 11:34 AM

President Muhammadu Buhari gave the order in a bid to counter food price increases, a statement from the Presidency said.

President Muhammadu Buhari

Buhari gave the order in a bid to counter food price increases, a statement from the Presidency said.

The statement was released by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu on Sunday, April 24, 2016.

“This is coming as a reaction to calls for government measures to ease hardship associated with food inflation,” it read.

Shehu also said that the Presidency would soon fulfill its promise to pay one million poor and vulnerable Nigerians N5000 monthly.

"This programme is designed to recognize the need for ordinary, poor Nigerians to also benefit from the resources of the country,” he said.

“President Buhari believes that the resources of our country should be spent also on the vast majority of our people who are poor and vulnerable, and not squandered by government officials or the elite.

“This social investment plan is already provided for in the 2016 Budget. The World Bank has begun conducting a social register on poor and vulnerable people in Nigeria, by going to the 4 poorest local government areas and then the 4 poorest communities in those poorest local govt areas. About 7-8 states have been completed already.

“Now the presidency is working with the World Bank and the Bill Gates Foundation on how to identify the people to be paid the N5000 and how they will be paid,” he added.

Buhari has also pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with him despite the hardship being faced in the country.

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