Few days after attesting to the good conditions of items received from the Federal Government as palliatives, the Oyo State Government on Friday made a u-turn, saying the items were in bad conditions.
Three trailer loads of rice totaling 1,800 bags sent to the state are allegedly infested with weevil and unfit for human consumption.
The Oyo State Government, which took delivery of the rice donated through the Nigeria Customs Service on Monday, said it would be expecting a replacement for the bad rice, adding that it was set to return the 1,800 bags of rice to the source.
The government spoke after conducting newsmen round the warehouse where the items donated were stored.
The government Team who earlier received the items include the Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Agricbusiness, Dr Debo Akande; Commissioners Ojemuyiwa Ojekunle (Agric), Chief Bayo Lawal (Special Duties), Seun Fakorede (Youth and Sports), Mrs Faosat Sanni (Women Affairs and Social Inclusion) and Mrs Funmilayo Orisadeyi (Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters).
According to Akande, only the 1,800 bags of rice received from the Federal Government was infested after a random testing, inspection and re-inspection were conducted on them.
He however assured that, the situation will by no means alter the plan of the state government to give palliatives to the people of the state, assuring that all the other items are in good conditions and in safe custody.
But he did not give a particular timeframe for the distribution of the palliatives.
Dr Akande said: “We received these items from the Federal Government via the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and we brought them to the warehouse and it is in the process of further inspection that we discovered that almost all the rice has been infested with weevils and some other materials, and on that basis, we formed a committee to re-inspect it so that we can be definitely sure of what we have received.
“We think this is not definitely in the position of consumption for human being at this point in time, and as such, the materials cannot be distributed as part of palliatives within the state.
“We don’t want to start providing solution to a problem and then start creating another problem.
“We have inspected it and done a random selection and we have seen that similar things apply across board.
“We have been instructed and we are following the instructions of the committee as was agreed upon. You will find here with me almost all the commissioners in the committee that are applicable.
“We have agreed to return all these to the source, and if there is any replacement of good quality that could be sent to us, we will be glad enough to receive it.”