The Governor of Niger state, Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago has announced over N5 billion palliatives to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal for Nigerlites, cutting across political parties, religious bodies and as well critical stakeholders.
Governor Bago also declared Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (6th, 7th and 8th) of September, 2023 as public holidays in the state to enable government functionaries visit their constituencies and ensure even distribution of the contents.
Giving a breakdown of the entire package to journalists during a Press conference which took place at Government House yesterday, the Governor said the state government got N3 billion cash from the federal government and is still expecting additional N2 billion.
While waiting for the remaining sum, Bago said the state government can no longer continue to wait but augment the N3 billion cash and the N1 billion worth of grains so far received from the federal government just to avoid incurring the peoples’ wrath.
Niger state government has so far received trucks of maize and rice worth N1 billion from federal government, adding that the cash backing will go directly to the Local Government Areas for the people, communities and Wards to decide what they needed most to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.
“We tried to avoid centralizing the process, the cash backing for the palliatives because we want each community and people to handle it as their own. Decide on what their most pressing needs are this will also give them the opportunity to source for what they need locally and by implications empowering their people as well”.
Governor Bago told journalists that part of the money has been expended for the procurement of 100 luxurious buses; 50 to ply Minna to Abuja, 25 for Minna intra-city services while the remaining 25 will be distributed across the 25 Local Government Areas.
Continuing, Governor Bago who announced a standing committee vested with the responsibility of ensuring that the entire process is properly managed hinted that, “While 22 Local Government Areas will be given N10 million each, three local government areas; Suleja, Minna and Bida will get N20 million each”.
The Governor who is meeting with journalists for the first time since his inauguration also said that traditional rulers has their own separately package so that they will not be tempted to tamper with what belongs to their subjects, warning however that anyone caught diverting the contents will be meted with the full wrath of the law.
Bago who encouraged citizens to hold their representatives accountable for any mistake said, “We decided that Wednesday, Thursday and Friday next week be work free days so that every government functionary and other key stakeholders will be involved in ensuring that nobody is left out”.
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