Former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, has commended the state government for selling grains to residents at subsidised prices.
Shagari, however, urged authorities to ensure transparency and accountability in the distribution of the commodities.
He spoke in a statement issued by his media aide, Musa Ubandawaki, on Wednesday.
The former deputy governor said the initiative was timely, particularly amid rising food prices and economic hardship confronting households.
He said making grains available at subsidised rates could help cushion the effect of food inflation on low-income families.
Shagari also commended the committee established by the state government and led by former Deputy Governor Chuso Abdullahi Dattijo for overseeing the intervention.
He stressed that government measures designed to reduce food costs must translate into tangible relief for residents.
Shagari urged officials handling the distribution and sales to discharge their responsibilities with integrity.
He said the commodities were public resources and should be managed in the interest of the people.
The former deputy governor called on the government to strengthen monitoring mechanisms to ensure that all local government areas received their fair share.
He also urged community leaders, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to support the distribution process.
Shagari said effective monitoring was necessary to ensure that the intervention achieved its intended purpose.
He appealed to beneficiaries to exercise patience and restraint during the sales exercise.
According to him, the programme is capable of providing immediate relief while longer-term measures to improve agricultural production and food supply are pursued.
Shagari said sustained oversight would be necessary until the programme was completed across the state.
He expressed optimism that transparent distribution and effective monitoring would help ease the burden on households and improve public confidence in the intervention.
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