Bauchi Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir on Saturday, flagged off the distribution of the N5 billion fuel subsidy palliative to vulnerable populations in the State.
The palliation is to alleviate the negative impact of the removal of fuel subsidy in the country as declared by the Federal Government which gave each state the sum of N5 billion.
While flagging off the distribution of the food palliative items at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Township Stadium, Bauchi, Gov Bala Mohammed said that as a result of the removal of subsidy on fuel by the federal government, President Bola Tinubu promptly introduced palliative packages in the country that will cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy.
He said that the removal of subsidy on fuel has led to hike in prices of commodities, cost of transportation and other services, adding that the development translated into an increase in the cost of living with more people pushed into the poverty level.
The Governor also said that part of the palliative intervention by the federal government includes the distribution of five trailer loads of rice and N5 billion to each state in cash and in kind.
He added that the palliative was made up of a grant of 52 percent with the remaining 48 percent as a loan payable over a period of 20 months to support states to provide additional palliatives.
The governor further said that the sum of N2 billion has so far been released from the federal government while arrangements are being made to access the remaining money in addition to more grains from the CBN and the federal government committee on palliation which will be distributed.
“In Bauchi, in anticipation of the obvious negative effects of subsidy removal on fuel, we introduced a number of measures including the provision of 30 new mass transit buses, operated at subsidized rate within intra-state routes, aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the people.”
“We also constituted a committee headed by my able Deputy to handle the task of recommending immediate interventions to alleviate the sufferings of our people,” he said.
He stressed, “The Committee has widespread membership comprised of government officials from the relevant MDAs, traditional institutions, religious leaders, organised labour, CSOs, Security agencies, Students Unions amongst others.
“Extensive consultations were made by the sub-committees appointed to determine workable solutions for implementation of palliative measures with the invitations of submissions from relevant stakeholders to guide the sub-committees in the conduct of their assignment”.
“Major considerations were made along the following lines, provision of relief food commodities to enhance food security, payment of benefits to civil servants and retirees.
“It also involved the “provision of mass transportation to ease high cost, social development intervention, especially with special focus on support to non-formal vulnerable groups and health sector.”
The governor said that the government has been battling with accumulated gratuities inherited from the past administrations in the state.
He however added that despite the efforts of the government to address the lingering issue, the accumulated gratuities still remain unresolved.
“It was therefore recommended that part of the palliative fund should be made available for the provision of palliative to upset part of the unpaid gratuities. The settlement will provide immediate liquidity to the beneficiaries to mitigate the negative impact of the removal of subsidy on fuel,” he said.
Bala Mohammed also said that the move was to alleviate the economic hardship being experienced by citizens following the recent removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government saying that adequate arrangements have been made to reach the targeted beneficiaries in both urban and rural areas.
While appreciating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for responding to the feelings of people, the Governor stressed that the gesture would complement his administration’s economic empowerment initiatives which according to him lifted a number of families out of poverty.
Earlier in her speech, the State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajara Yakubu Wanka said that even before the federal government’s palliative intervention programme, the Bauchi state government has been consistent in assisting people of the state through various humanitarian interventions such as the Kaura Economic empowerment program targeted at alleviating the plights of the vulnerable population in the state.
She then said that in keeping with the policy of social inclusion, the committee in charge of the palliative distribution has put in all the necessary measures to ensure that the palliative gets to all the vulnerable groups in the State.
The Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Sulaimanu Adamu who is the Chairman of the palliative distribution committee assured of transparency in the distribution process.
Major components of the exercise included the distribution of 89000 bags of rice to the 20 LGAs, payment of N10,000 each to the most vulnerable citizens, provision of mass transportation buses and payment of student scholarships.
It also included payment of outstanding gratuities and leave grants to retired and active civil servants as well as payment of special allowances to volunteer health workers, casual workers, and environmental sanitation agents.
Some people living with disabilities who are part of the beneficiaries described the move as apt noting that it would go a long way in alleviating their suffering.
They however appealed to the state government to sustain inclusion of people living with disabilities in its economic employment programmes.
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