Ogun State Government has raised the alarm over the purported resale of bags of rice being sold to civil servants in the state at subsidized rates.
The resale, according to the state’s Head of Service (HoS), Kehinde Onasanya, was against the purpose of the state government which is to ensure the well-being of the public servants and lessen their financial burdens.
Onasanya, in a statement on Thursday, warned those involved to stop the illegal activities or face the consequences.
The statement said: “It has come to the attention of the State Government that some unscrupulous individuals are engaging in the unauthorized resale of bags of rice that were originally designated for the welfare of Public Servants under the subsidized rice sale program initiated by His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON, Governor of Ogun State.
“It should be emphasized that such actions are in direct violation of the intended purpose of this welfare initiative which is meant to directly benefit the hardworking Public Servants of the State by ensuring their well-being and alleviating their financial burdens.
“While the State Government strongly condemns these acts, individuals involved in the resale of the rice are hereby sternly cautioned to desist forthwith as any form of unauthorized resale or profiteering from this subsidized commodity will be met with attendant consequences.
“For clarity, the amount approved by the State Government for the sale of the bags of rice strictly to Public Servants is N8,500.00 for 10kg, N17,000.00 for 20kg and N42,500 for 50kg with maximum purchasable bags for Officers on GL. 01–14 to be 20kg while for GL. 15–17 is 50kg.
“The State Government remains steadfast in its commitment to the welfare of the Public Service and thus, urges the teeming beneficiaries to uphold the integrity of this welfare program while members of the public are enjoined to report any observed unauthorized activities to the relevant authorities.”