Gov Otu Names 17-man Palliatives Distribution Committee
By Victor UDU
The Governor of Cross River state has named a 17 -man committee to handle the distribution of palliatives in the state.
The list includes the Secretary to Government, Prof Anthony Owan-Enoh, Chairman while the members are, Hon Emmanuel Ironbar ,Chief of Staff, Mike Odere, Commissioner for Finance, Bishop Margaret Ene Ita, Commissioner for Social Welfare, Dr Helen Egodo, Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Hon Erasmus Ekpang, Commissioner for information, Major General Obono Okoi Ubi, State Security Adviser, Comrade Olayi Gregory, Chairman NLC, Comrade Monday Ogbodum , TUC Chairman, Barrister Akiba ,Ekpenyong Special Adviser, General duties member.
Other members as announced by the governor are Chief Mrs Angela Ogeyi Odey, DG SEMA ,Esoso Anah Esoso, Bar. John Orim, , Peter Akpere,the President NACRISS, Representatives of the traditional and Religious leadership.
Given the hardship occasioned by the subsidy removal,the governor said while presenting his score card of 100 days in office to the media that government has put in place certain programmes to cushion effects of challenges faced by citizens.
Accordingly the governor under social services reforms has reduced working days of civil servants on grade level 13 and below from 5 to 3 days while those on
GL 14 and above would continue to work for 5 days but with an allowance which would be added to their monthly salaries.
The governor said government has provided a hardship allowance for all civil servants and soon to commence a transport scheme to ply designated routes all in a bid reduce the burden of the subsidy and ease transportation difficulties.
He said government has subsidized ticketing for all commercial vehicles thereby reducing transport cost by half.
Otu disclosed that his administration has equally approved free antenatal care and delivery for pregnant women in all government owned hospitals.
Other areas of intervention include free tuition in primary schools, payment of examination fees for secondary, free medicare for all children under 5yrs and grants and soft loans for farmers.
