The rice distributed to states, as palliatives to cushion the effects of the lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of Coronavirus disease in the country, is fit for human consumption, the Federal Government has said.
Reports on social media had claimed the grains sent to the South-West region are expired and were not fit for consumption. The claim gained momentum when Debo Akande, an aide to the governor of Oyo state, at the weekend alleged the bags of rice the federal government gave the state were infested with weevils.
But debunking the report, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadiya Farouk, said distributed rice to states were certified fit for human consumption.
Mrs Farouk who described the allegations as fake news stated this on Monday at the press briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
“This rice was handed over to us by the Nigerian Customs Service and was assessed by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) who issued a clearance before the goods were released for onward distribution to the states,” she said.
“So, as far as we are concerned, this rice was certified and is fit for human consumption,” the minister added.
