By Isiaka Wakili
The Presidency has dispelled rumours in the social media that the federal government was importing poisonous rice.
Presidential spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, in a statement on Wednesday, said the government described attempts by unscrupulous individuals on the social media linking the government and Dangote Group with a plan to flood the country with genetically modified rice as extremely uncharitable.
He said the government warned purveyors of such malicious information and those thinking of embarking on the same route to have a rethink and retrace their steps.
“In real terms, the federal government in 2014 signed a $1billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for investment in an integrated rice project with Dangote Industries Ltd. Further to this agreement, Dangote Industries Limited this year cultivated over 8,000 hectares in Hadejia, Jigawa State, creating over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs for farmers who are the major beneficiaries of the scheme.
