Oyo state government has disclosed that the about one thousand eight hundred bags of rice donated by the federal government through the Nigeria Customs Service to the state as part of COVID-19 relief material were all infested and unhealthy for consumption.
This was disclosed shortly after the committee on the distribution of relief materials and palliatives paid an inspection visit to the warehouse where the grains were kept.
Speaking on behalf of the state government, the Executive Adviser to the governor on Agribusiness, Dr. Debo Akande stressed that after taking delivery of the donated rice, a quality control inspection was carried out repeatedly and the donation has now been rejected.
Dr. Akande, however, noted that the donated rice would be returned to the Nigeria Customs Service with the hope that it would be replaced with good quality.
The Executive Adviser further explained that the infested rice would not affect plans of the state government to commence distribution of palliatives to the people, adding that distribution would commence soonest.
Also, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Honourable Ojekunle Ojemuyiwa while reiterating the position of state government, stressed that the wellbeing and healthy disposition of the people would not be compromised in the continuing fight to curtail further spread of the virus
