FG To Monitor Palliatives Distribution By States, FCT
By Edem ITA
Arrangements are on the ground by the Federal Government to integrate a monitoring team with a mandate to oversee the distribution of palliatives by state governors arising from the N5 billion recently doled out by President Tinubu to each of the 36 states with the FCT.
The palliatives are part of the remedial measures by the Federal Government meant to cushion the impact of the prevailing excruciating hardship triggered by petrol subsidy removal.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, who disclosed this on Channels Television’s Politics Today explained that the decision to monitor the distribution is designed to promote transparency and judicious use of the funds.
“It is fair to say that there does not need to be a check. There needs to be a means of monitoring which is why federal regulators are involved; which is why we have put in place the palliatives distribution,” he said.
The Beagle News recently reported that Federal Government had approved N5 billion for each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to enable them to procure food items for distribution to the poor in their respective states.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno disclosed this at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting for August held on Thursday.
Barely a day after the development, Tinubu’s spokesperson admitted that there are possibilities of bad eggs hijacking the disbursement process, stressing that his principal is going to enforce a bottom-up approach.
“So, what we are doing now is this: yes, the state government is being empowered to the extent that they are implementing some of the palliatives that we are talking about concerning the delivery of rice, beans, and maize to communities across the states and other supplements that are well known by now.
“But what we are also doing is that from the federal end, we are ensuring that these funds are not just giveaway grants that don’t have to be paid back. First of all, it’s a loan facility. We have To Trust Them."
On the clarion calm by the Organised Labour for a reduction in the pump price of petroleum products to halt the current harsh economic reality, the Presidential media aide berated the organised labour, urging them to avoid blank statements and christening the state Governors as incompetent for the palliative distribution task.
According to the Special Adviser, "Nigerians should open a window of trust to the state governors in distributing palliatives, adding that they were voted in by the credibility of the people to address their needs."
“What we are saying is Nigerians elected these state governors just as they elected the president, and we have to trust the judgment of Nigerians who elected these officials to conduct these activities on their behalf,” he said.
“So, it can’t just be at the outset panicking that they can’t do it. We have to trust them to do the job they were elected to do.”
He however admitted that given the “history of maladministration in our country,” such skepticism was normal
