News
Workers Decry Cumbersome Process Of Accessing FG’s Subsidised Rice
A cross-section of civil servants at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, yesterday appealed to the Tinubu administration to create more platforms to ease the collection of its subsidised rice for workers.
The 50kg bags of rice are being sold at a flat rate of N40,000 each in furtherance of the Federal Government’s intervention to ameliorate the prevailing food crises in Nigeria.
Speaking with newsmen they said the process of accessing the product has become cumbersome and unwieldy due to inadequate distribution points owing to the huge number of people turning out to benefit from the scheme.
Mr Alex Luke, a civil servant, said that the special intervention by the Federal Government is a welcome development as it is aimed at easing the burden on Nigerians.
Luke said he was number 500 on the registration list as of yesterday morning and it took him two days to be able to just write down his name on the lists
“The challenge here is that the registration and the collection points are not enough, compared to the number of workers here at the Secretariat and those who are coming from other government establishments.
“It would be brilliant if the organisers could create other platforms or different points for other MDAs to get the rice. I think it will make the process organised and coordinated, “ he said.
Also speaking, another civil servant, Mrs Eunice Linus, described the special intervention of providing rice at the rate of N40, 000 per bag as a good omen for the people as many of them would love to have them.
She, however, said it was unfortunate that the process of accessing the product “has become a big challenge as it is wasting the time workers are supposed to be using to work in their offices”.
“When I got to the office this morning, I went straight to this place to write my name, and I saw many people there and it has been like that since we started the scheme.
“You know because rice is expensive at the market workers in particular would not want to miss the opportunity to buy a bag at N40,000 here. But the process is time-wasting.
“I believe there is an easier way to organise this than this chaotic process,” she suggested.
Expressing her view, Hajia Aisha Umaru, who lauded the Federal Government for the initiative, suggested that admin officers from different ministries should be assigned to write the names of interested workers and submit the lists at points designated for the distribution or sale of the product.
“I think it is a welcome idea but we have not been finding it easy even to write our names, let alone collect the bags of rice.
“As you can see, the place is crowded and it will get worse as more people are still coming to work.
“It will be very easy if different MDAs can assign officers from their offices to write the names of people and take them to collection points.”
On her part, Mrs Patience Yakubu, said the scheme might end up making many people commit their money only to end up not getting the products.
“You can imagine all of us that are working at the Federal Secretariat coming here and people from other places coming to queue up at the Head of Service for the collection of the rice.
“When would people finish writing their names and go back to work? It means we would use the whole day for this process which we are not even sure will succeed at the end of the day.
“There is a more organised way of making this a success if the government means well for us. “
Spokesman to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Segun Sowunmi, has advised his principal, Atiku, to learn from President Bola Tinubu on how to form a coalition.
The Tide reports that in a bid to wrest power from President Tinubu in 2027, Atiku has been leading the movement by opposition politicians to form a coalition of political parties ahead of the next general election.
Last month, opposition politicians set up a team comprising former Minister of Transpiration, Rotimi Amaechi, and former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, to decide whether to float a new party or fuse into an existing platform.
While the main opposition party, PDP, struggles with a perennial leadership crisis, the former Vice President is bent on establishing another political force to take power from the ruling party in 2027.
But Sowunmi, who has been Atiku’s ally for many years, disagrees with his move, saying instead of forming a coalition with another political platform, he should coalesce opposition politicians into the PDP.
Speaking during an interview on TVC on Tuesday, Sowunmi, who was Atiku’s campaign spokesperson in the last election, asked his principal to learn from President Tinubu on how to form a coalition.
Sowunmi believes Atiku, having benefitted from the PDP as a former Vice President and getting the party’s presidential ticket twice, should not seek to form a coalition that will not have the PDP as its base.
He said, “I’ve always said to people, people love with their hearts. I love atiku with my bones. But I can’t help him against himself. You can’t run vice presidency on PDP two times with Obasanjo, get presidential candidate on that same party two times. I don’t agree with him that the next best thing is to be shopping for…(a platform) If you want a coalition, why are you not coalescing them into your party?” he asked.
The former PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State advised the ex-VP to learn from Tinubu on how to build a coalition without dumping his political party.
“Look at your rival, your friend. You guys started together. At best, even if you want to say he’s building a coalition is he not coalescing opponents into his place”? Sowunmi asked again.
The PDP chieftain, who recently showered praises on Tinubu after he visited him, said the President has an “uncanny ability to make everybody individually feel special” regardless of political affiliations.
His words: “That guy (Tinubu) is something oh, he has this uncanny ability to make everybody individually feel special. It doesn’t matter whether you are a former foe or a president’s friend, every moment you share with him, I don’t know how he does it, though you’re going to leave the place feeling that you matter, feeling that he gets it, feeling that what you guys are talking about is important. And there’s something about him, when he gives you his word, he will say something like ‘ko le ye’, meaning that to the best of human ability, it will stand.”
Meanwhile, there have been conversations about Sowunmi’s political stance as many questioned his relationship with Atiku, with whom he shares a longstanding political relationship.
Asked about his relationship with Atiku following his meeting with Tinubu, Sowunmi said he doesn’t know if the former Vice President is upset.
“I don’t know whether Atiku is upset or not upset, but I know a lot of our followers are talking a lot of nonsense, and I’m wondering how I became attached to Atiku when I’ve been in PDP since 1999 never leaving,” he responded.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to fix inconsistencies in tax services across its over 300 offices nationwide.
The move aims to make tax processes clearer, more transparent, and easier for Nigerians.
In a statement, Special Adviser on Communications and Advocacy to the FIRS Executive Chairman, Mr. Collins Omokaro, said the updated SOP is a key part of the agency’s plan to improve taxpayer experience.
He explained that, in the past, different FIRS offices used different methods, which often confused taxpayers.
“This is about people, experience, and impact. It’s a step towards a tax system that supports voluntary compliance and national development,” Omokaro said.
The new SOP provides a single guide for key processes like registration, payment, audit, and enforcement. This will ensure all FIRS offices follow the same steps, making the system fairer and more predictable.
FIRS Executive Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, described the SOP as more than just a set of rules.
“This SOP is not just a technical document; it is a declaration of who we are becoming as a service. It reflects our commitment to transparency and service to the Nigerian people,” he said.
The SOP also supports FIRS’s digital transformation, combining human and technological systems to deliver faster and more reliable services. It will also improve internal efficiency by providing clear guidance and better training for staff.
“With this rollout, every FIRS staff member has a clear mandate: study it, apply it, and embody it. That’s how we’ll earn the trust of Nigerians,” Omokaro added.
The reform is part of FIRS’s efforts to become a more service-driven organisation, focused on clarity, consistency, and national growth. The agency hopes the new SOP will make tax services better for Nigerians and increase public trust in the system.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, says the Federal Government is committed to building a world-class public service in Nigeria.
Walson-Jack made this known in Abuja, on Wednesday, at a World Press Conference ahead of the International Civil Service Conference and the African Public Service Week scheduled for June 25 to 26 in Abuja.
She said a recent study tour to Singapore was part of preparatory activities aimed at positioning Nigeria’s civil service for excellence and attracting global participation in the upcoming events.
“The study tour to Singapore was the first major activity we undertook under the collaboration between the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the Heads of Service of the 36 states and the FCT,” she said.
According to her, the visit, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), involved 20 State Heads of Service and was designed to benchmark best global practices and enhance Nigeria’s public service delivery.
“The idea was born out of our ongoing collaboration, where we share ideas and knowledge across federal and state levels.
“Singapore was chosen because it is globally recognised for excellence in public service,” she explained.
Walson-Jack noted that the second phase of the tour will involve the remaining 17 heads of service later this year.
She said the tour provided participants with the opportunity to engage with both public and private sector institutions in Singapore, compare administrative practices, and gain insights into global standards.
“It was an eye-opener and a capacity-building opportunity.
“Since our return, several state civil services have begun implementing reforms in collaboration with the federal service, particularly in areas such as capability development and digital transformation,” she added.
Walson-Jack further disclosed that Nigeria would host a reciprocal study tour during the upcoming African Public Service Week, where foreign delegates will engage with various federal institutions.
“They will see firsthand our digitalisation efforts, performance management systems, and other reform initiatives aimed at transforming our civil service.
“We hope the experience will inspire similar actions in their home countries,” she said.