The communications aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Phrank Shaibu has slammed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for relying heavily on rice distribution as a solution to Nigeria’s various crises.
The government’s latest move to distribute 1,200 bags of rice to each minister as part of its grassroots palliative measures sparked Shaibu’s criticism.
In a scathing response on X (formerly Twitter), Shaibu questioned the administration’s understanding of basic nutritional needs, highlighting potential health risks such as beriberi, a condition caused by vitamin B1 deficiency. “Could it be that every aide of President Bola Tinubu skipped the foundational lessons of primary school?” Shaibu mocked.
Shaibu’s criticism centered around the government’s repetitive use of rice as a response to different national issues. “No power? Serve rice. No fuel? More rice. Bad governance? A bag of rice. Floods? Rice once again. High electricity tariffs? You guessed it—rice,” he pointed out.
To emphasize his point, Shaibu suggested satirically, “At the very least, add ‘ewa oloyin’ (honey beans) to the rice to save our people from Beriberi.”
It will be recalled that Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, had earlier explained that the rice distribution initiative targets the elderly in his state.
“Following the decision of the Presidency to respond to the yearnings of the Nigerian people to make more food available at the grassroots, 1,200 bags were made available to each minister,” Alake stated in a press release.
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