Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has warned the committee saddled with the responsibilities of distributing the fuel subsidy removal palliatives in the state to desist from diverting the palliatives meant for the people.
He added that anyone found wanting to try to divert the items in the palliatives meant for distribution would be sent to jail no matter his or her status in society.
The governor handed down the warning during his maiden interactive session with Journalists at the Government House Minna last Friday amidst several government officials and security Operatives, saying that the government has already obtained a court order to deal ruthlessly with anyone found culpable to serve as a deterrent to others.
Bago, while, highlighting the modalities adopted for the distribution of palliatives, revealed that so far the state government had received from the Federal Government the sum of N2 billion but the state is augmenting it with N250 million.
According to him, “all wards in Chanchaga, Bida, Suleja and Kontagora local councils are to be given N20million per ward,” emphasising the wards in the remaining 21 local councils of the state will be allocated with N10million each.
He stated further that others that will benefit from the palliatives include, traditional institutions (N80 million), organised labour(N110 million), political parties; not only APC but all political parties in the state (N150 million), Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) (N75 million)stressing that the distribution of the palliatives is meant for all Nigerlites and it is not partisan in nature.
Bago further disclosed that all cash allocations will be sent to the local government council’s account on Monday 4th September 2023.
He stressed that five trucks of rice will be distributed to each ward of the 25 LGAs in the state while,40,000 bags of maize to be shared is yet to be received from the Federal Government, pointing out that the state government will add 10,000 bags to make it 50,000 bags for distribution to all the polling units across the 25 Local Government Areas of the state.
He explained that the committees would be set up at the local council and ward levels, and are to decide which food item to buy, he also said a standing committee comprising former and serving public officers, civil servants and political appointees would form the committee so as to ensure effective and efficient distribution of the palliatives in their various localities.
“I am declaring a three three-day holiday to enable committees to distribute the palliatives accordingly, we are going to shut down governance so that our people can have succour, but also we should not let it be in vain.
“The palliatives are not free, it is a loan from the Federal Government, that states and local government councils are expected to pay back 58% of the N5 billion in 20 months, while the Federal Government takes 42%,” he added.
The governor enjoined the people to be patient as the government is doing everything possible to ameliorate the pains they are going through.
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