The Edo State Government on Wednesday said it received a few trucks of rice from the Federal Government some time ago contrary to the speculation of 20 trucks of rice by the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) .
Commissioner for Communication and Orientation in the state, Hon Chris Nehikhare stated this while reacting to questions posed by a journalist during a press conference in Benin, the Edo State capital,
He, however said that the state Government has expended N2.2 billion on its food support programme for the people of Edo State.
He said: “I will state categorically that Edo State Government does not buy rice. Edo State Government did not buy rice.
“What it did is to provide N2.2bn to CAN to purchase this food and other items; garri, yam, plantain including rice to give to the vulnerable people and that is a deliberate government policy.
“Then, on the issue of Federal Government given us rice, I will tell you, few months ago, maybe early this year or late last year or mid this year, they brought some few trucks of rice.
“They (the rice) were distributed according to the formula which they sent to IDPs camp, to different people, to orphanage homes. You people should do the investigation.
“Edo State Government did not touch one of them. It went straight to the local government and then to where it was designed to be given out. Edo State Government does not keep rice.
“So if a misguided Minister in Abuja is echoing the voice of propaganda of Edo State APC of talking about rice.
“We have spent N2.2bn to feed our people. 20 trucks of rice come and we are close to seven million people in Edo State. How does that help?
“What we have done to eradicate poverty is to offer free bus service since September last year and it is still going on. We have over 250,000 people enrolled in Edo State health insurance.”
Earlier on Monday, the Deputy Director-General, Media and Publicity of Asue/Ogie Campaign Management, Rev. Olu Martins, during a press conference in Benin, said “We have our food support programme and any other report of food coming from another palace is a mere speculation.
“There is no rice anywhere from the Federal Government.”
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