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Tag: Palliatives

  • Subsidy removal: Ogun govt constitutes 29-member committee on palliatives distribution

    Subsidy removal: Ogun govt constitutes 29-member committee on palliatives distribution

    Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state, on Tuesday, August 29, constituted a 29-member Central Working Committee (CWC) saddled with the mandate for the distribution of palliatives in the state.

    The committee is headed by the state deputy governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele.

    The composition of the committee is aimed at ensuring that the palliatives reached every strata of the society, in line with the promise made to the people of the state by Governor Abiodun.

    A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Lekan Adeniran, noted that there would be a similar committee at the local governments to ensure the seamless distribution of the palliatives.

    According to the statement, the committee has the mandate to implement the various palliatives put in place by the state government for the citizens.

    Read Also: Subsidy removal: Adamawa unveils shuttle buses, other items for palliative intervention

    The members of the committee drawn from the 20 local government areas include, Alhaja Salmot Badru, a former deputy governor in the state; Senator Shuaib Afolabi; Hon. Dewunmi Onanuga; Chief (Mrs) Yetunde Onanuga; Hon. Latifat Ajayi (Deputy Speaker, OGHA); Hon. Lukman Adeleye, (Minority Leader, OGHA; Alhaja Selimot Ottun; Oyindamola Oyelese Adesina; Hon. Femi Ilori-Oduntan; Ayo Shomide; Hon. (Mrs) Motunrayo Adijat Oladapo-Adeleye; Adewale Adeshina; Angel Adelaja; Ola Oresanya.

    Others are Mrs Ogunremi; Mrs Abbas (Iyaloja General); Feyikemi Egbeyemi; Yemisi Dawodu; Mr Aiyelagbe Abduljabar; Damilola Otubanjo; Job Akintan; Kolawole Lawal; Biodun Akovoyan; Ayo Somide;  Dr Fred-Omojole Omolayo; Mokesioluwa O. Seun-Adedamola; Hon. Oladele Kayode, Mr Sola Arobieke and representatives of labour unions.

    The committee at the local government level, according to the statement, would include the council chairmen; members of the state House of Assembly; Leader of the House; secretary to the local government; former GLOs; two members from the CDAs; representative of the market women association; four nominees from non-governmental organisations and representatives from traditional rulers.

    The inaugural meeting of the committee has been slated for Wednesday, August 29.

  • Palliatives’ distribution: PWDs decry marginalisation in Jigawa

    Palliatives’ distribution: PWDs decry marginalisation in Jigawa

    Chairman, Persons Leaving With Disability (PWDs) in Jigawa State, Alhaji Adamu Shuaibu, has expressed concern over their marginalisation in the ongoing palliative distribution in the state.

    Speaking to reporters in Dutse, the state capital, the chairman said this was a violation of the state Persons with Disabilities Law (2016).

    Read Also; BREAKING: Tinubu presides over maiden FEC meeting

    Shuaibu noted that his members were being marginalised in the scheme of things despite the  law that addressed some of their challenges, including accessibility to buildings and economic empowerment.

     He accused the state government of not involving the association or any of its members in the distribution committee of palliatives at either state or local government level in the state.

     According him, “Persons Leaving with Disability (PWDs), like any other Nigerians, are suffering from the brunt of fuel subsidy removal of the Federal Government, however, its members were skipped in the ongoing distribution of palliatives across the 27 local government areas here in JIgawa state and they are neither beneficiary”.

     The PWDs chair added: “Despite the provision of the law, PWDs are still discriminated against and marginalised in the state and, therefore, we are seeking the full implementation of the law.

    “We are supposed to be included in the committees constituted by the government to handle the distribution of the palliatives.”

    The chairman insisted that the discrimination was jeopardising the interest of their members.

     Shuaibu stated further: “There are low employment opportunities for PWDs. We thereby seek for the employment of our members in both governments and private organisations in the state as enshrined in the law.

     “We also seek the launching of the PWD Fund as stated in the law to support PWDs in the state.

    “Section Four of the Disabilities Law stimulates that the state and local governments shall consider persons with disabilities in their programmes and services, especially social protection programmes.”

     Shuaibu claimed that its members who comprise the blind, deaf, lepers, crippled and the Albinos constituted over 25 per cent of the total population of the state.

  • Crucial points to note on the N180 billion palliatives

    Crucial points to note on the N180 billion palliatives

    • Profile of the palliatives so far

    Last week, Thursday, 17th August 2023, the federal government announced that it would give each state of the federation a sum of N5 Billion palliatives to cushion the impact of the removal of the payment of subsidy on fuel – The total cost implication amounts to N180 Billion.

     The decision to share the palliatives is a consequence of the vagaries of the escalation of cost of living crisis occasioned by global and national economic downturn and more so due to the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is a key policy direction of the new administration aimed at enabling the socio-economic turnaround of the Country. 

     One of the provisions of the N5b funding is that, the state governors are to procure 100,000 bags of rice, 40,000 bags of maize, and fertilizers to share with the most vulnerable citizens in the state.

    The above subventions are additions to other initiatives that were rolled out by President Tinubu during his national broadcast on 31st July 2023.

    While the above initiatives are laudable and reflect the readiness of the administration of President Tinubu to mitigate the impact of the subsidy removal and other economic downturns, it is important that decision-makers, leaders at various strata, and critical stakeholders note the following critical points:

    The need for transprency and accountabity

    With regards to the 100,000 bags of Rice and 40,00 bags of Beans: A quick calculation shows that: on average a bag of Rice is about 50 kg, while a bag of Beans is about 40 kg. Therefore, 100,000 bags of Rice could amount to 5 million Kg of Rice per State. By applying a rule of thumb and saying the State Government could share 10 kg per homestead, that means that about 500,000 vulnerable citizens will get the 100,000 bags of rice. The implication of this hypothesis is that, as an example, in the case of the poorest State in Nigeria according to the NBS 2023 multi-dimensionally poor index, i.e. Sokoto State with an estimated over 4.3million multi-dimensionally poor citizens, only about 20%% of the multi-dimensionally poor of the poorest State in Nigeria will get a share of the bag of rice and/or beans. Another poser is; if the 100,000 and 40,000 bags of rice will be a one-off exercise. If so, what are the other interventions that will be provided for the over 133 multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians for example in the next 6 months? Do state governments have robust plans and pathways to exit the vagaries of the removal of the fuel subsidy? These are bearing in mind that the IMF has told us that the economic growth rate of Nigeria for 2023 is 3.9%, while the growth rate may contract to 2.9% by next year. Please note that this projection did not cater to the current impact of the removal of the subsidy. With the further socio-economic headwinds, we are facing, it is important that the interventions are more far-reaching and sustainable as far as the 133 million multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians are concerned – given that the concept is that no vulnerable Nigerian should be left behind. To this extent, the methodology and integrity of the social registers, vis-à-vis, what NBS has already done, will be amongst the critical success factors. The fact that if we juxtapose the sharing formula of the bags of rice and beans with the 133 multidimensionally poor index, the expected impact will be on less than 1% of the poorest people in Nigeria is a very worrisome situation. I worry that we may end up with a palliative-driven economy while running out of a subsidy-driven economy. 

    Read Also: FG vows to end hyper inflation and GDP per capita less than 30%

    I am aware that the Governors have their own respective plans, but due to the aforementioned statistics and realities, the Governors are obviously struggling to roll out and action them. The actions of some of them are very laudable, for example, the Executive Governors of Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, and Lagos States. 

    Another important point to note is the possibility that the palliatives may not reach the multidimensionally poor if the palliatives are hijacked to settle politicians and their loyalists (this applies to all political parties). Let us not forget what happened during the COVID-19 period with regard to the palliatives that were stockpiled and hidden and the gory outcomes that we all saw on local and international media of poor people breaking into those warehouses. May we not witness such occurrences, even though it happened already in Adamawa State some weeks ago. That is an indication of potential outcomes if things are not handled properly.

    Even though States have their peculiarities, it will be good if the Nigeria Governors Forum comes up with an overarching strategy based on which they can generate workable and impactful templates that will apply to all. For example, I appreciate the methodology adopted by the Governor of Yobe State, as follows: assessment of intervention, identifying vulnerable persons, identifying the areas of intervention, and how to ensure that it reaches those people. It will be highly commendable if the aforementioned parameters are followed transparently, and equitably with proper accountability frameworks and systems, albeit the total package is still meager because it appears that the bags of rice and beans may only last households for two weeks and then we have 6 months of headwinds to contend with to get out if the first phase of the doldrums because the economic indices will get worse before they start getting better, i.e. the issue of the rising price of PMS due to market forces will remain on the table, the price of US Dollar will increase due to traditional global impacts as we inch towards to end of the year, and other economic variable that are still in the negative until the interventions and solutions kick-in. 

    Value creation at state levels

    The genuineness of the Governors and Local Government Chairpersons and their legislators; and commonality of purpose across party lines will determine how far they will go in making the needed impacts of sentence and bettering the lot of Nigerians. There should be government-to-government collaborations at subnational levels for socio-economic stability and sustainability of states.

     The Federal Government cannot do it alone, state governors must think out of the box, because all the states in Nigeria are so blessed with man and material resources such that no state has any business being poor.

     Citizens should demand more transparency and good governance at subnational levels to catalyze better service by their respective governors and legislators. We pay too much attention to the Federal Government, such that we forget the immense responsibility placed on the Governors to deliver good governance. In the past 24 years of return to democracy, some Governors stood out as a model of progress and development. We should demand more so that more Governors  sill perform. So far, I see that some Governors have been demonstrating capacity, empathy, and patriotism. We implore them to do more and for others to step up.

     Fight against insecurity and corruption and the importance of foreign policy

    It is important that the Governments (at the Federal and State level) include security as part of their short—, mid-, and long-term strategy. Apart from national kinetic insecurity, the issue of food insecurity is escalating due to global warming, geopolitics (war between Ukraine and Russia, Sudan meltdown, the rising coups in West Africa, and the potential military intervention in Niger, etc.), is another key rising concern. 

     For instance, the fertilizers that will be shared will be worthy of note that the fertilizers will be useless if the farmers cannot go to the farms to produce due to insecurity. Farmers need to return to their farms as soon as possible to produce more food and raw materials for the economy to mitigate the looming food shortage with dire consequences.

     In my opinion, we should not lose sight of the significance of national security, the fight against corruption, and our international relations strategy (security, socio-economic, trade, investment, etc.) in which foreign policy (Nigeria-First) should be the nexus – going forward.

    The role of organised labour and civil societies

    I wish to call on organized labor and civil societies as levers that should control government and governance, to step up and re-strategize. As times are changing so should you change. Your engagements and agitation strategies should also change with the nuances of the government you are engaging in and our current realities. Importantly please do not forget that the multi-dimensionally poor citizens are also in the informal sector which, according to the IMF, constitutes about 89% of our populace. 

     Reduction of cost of governance

    Leadership by Example: Citizens eagerly await the immediate tangible downward review of expenditures by topline leaders (Executive and Legislature) on the cost of running their various offices and institutions.

     In conclusion, how the Federal Government and importantly State and Local Governments think, plan, and implement with a holistic view and pragmatic approach will determine the outcomes, positive or negative. I pray that our leaders at all strata will think, plan, and execute with fear of God, empathy, and a high level of political will for the sentence and betterment of our people. 

  • Palliatives: Ebonyi receives N2bn, 3,000 bags of rice from FG

    Palliatives: Ebonyi receives N2bn, 3,000 bags of rice from FG

    The Ebonyi State government has unveiled the receipt of N2billion and 3,000 bags of rice from the Federal Government as palliatives to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.

    The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Jude Okpor, made the disclosure on Thursday in Abakaliki while briefing newsmen at the end of the weekly state Executive Council meeting.

    Okpor said that Gov. Francis Nwifuru announced the receipt of those palliatives during the meeting and subsequently constituted a 10-man committee to ensure equitable distribution.

    “The governor will head the committee and will be assisted by the deputy governor.

    “The secretary to the state government, state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), chairman of the state traditional rulers council, among others, are members of the committee,” he said.

    The commissioner noted that the government has approved that N2 million each be given to 1,500 citizens of the state engaged in hawking and other menial jobs in the state and across the country.

    “The state executive council had directed the commissioners for skills development, commerce and industry to visit major cities of the country and identify citizens engaged in street hawking and other menial jobs.

    Read Also: Ondo to begin distribution of palliatives Sept 1

    “The programme will cost the state over N3 billion and will be implemented in three phases of 500 beneficiaries in each phase.

    “The training and subsequent empowerment of the first 500 beneficiaries will commence as soon as all the necessary frameworks are in place,” he said.

    He noted that the government has approved the payment of arrears of gratuity to retired civil servants from 1996 to 2021 with a cost implementation of N4.3 billion.

    “The state executive council also directed that all issues surrounding the pension payment to some beneficiaries be resolved immediately.

    “This magnanimous gesture of the governor is aimed at ameliorating the suffering of our senior citizens and serve as a moral booster to workers who are still in service,’” he said. (NAN)

  • Palliatives must alleviate

    Palliatives must alleviate

    A buzz word has been added to the lexicology of political governance by politicians and even the military. They call it kinetic and non-kinetic methods of dealing with the fury and aggravated madness that come from the hungry and bad Nigerians, respectively. Governors in whose domains there are crisis and banditry talk of applying kinetic and non-kinetic methods to the raging challenges. Clearly what the users in the Nigerian context mean is that they use the soft and hard approach to solve those challenges.

    Luckily for the governors, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last week approved a whooping N5 billion per state as palliative to tame the gruelling challenges faced by Nigerians, especially the poor. It is such palliatives that politicians and even the military refer to as non-kinetic method. This column hopes the governors know that if the palliative is not well shared to ameliorate the hunger in the land, it may create circumstances that could lead to the use of kinetic measures to deal with.

    Read Also: I’m open to criticism, says new AGF Fagbemi

    For the governors who were not there during the COVID-19 crisis and the resultant palliative war across many states, and even the EndSARS uprising, they should not make the mistake of treating the money due to their states as a private war chest to do with as they wish. They must use the money to deal with the brewing crisis waiting to erupt. They should invest in public transportation programme in cooperation with the labour unions in their state, to stem the anger amongst the workers, while awaiting the central negotiation for new wages.

    The state could also pay up some long outstanding pensions and salaries, abandoned by their predecessors. Some can also create state-based social register of the poor and make at least a one-off payment to ameliorate poverty for those hardest hit by the fuel subsidy removal and ravaging food inflationary pressure. Another non-kinetic measure is the purchase and distribution of basic food items to households. Governors can also consider distributing vouchers to its workers or making a one off payments as hardship allowance.

    Of course, not the abusive hardship allowance collected by members of the National Assembly, who recently made a joke of the poor in their chambers. The senate president, Goodswill Akpabio in presenting a motion by Senator Akintunde Abiodun of Oyo Senatorial district on stopping the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and distribution companies from increasing their tariff, was accused of mocking the poor, when he referenced it as “let the poor breathe” motion. Though the senate president has apologized, those scandalized may be waiting for their pound of flesh.

    Regardless of the motive of the senate president, he struck a chord that the poor needs to be allowed to breathe, and if I may add, so the nation can side-step a potential uprising over the economic pains ravaging the country. As has been rightly highlighted by experts, President Tinubu inherited an economic mess from the past regime, and unless he applies the difficult measures of subsidy removal and harmonization of the foreign exchange market, Nigeria would plunge further into an economic quagmire, which may consume the country.

    For this column, Nigeria is standing at crossroads. It either reforms with the attendant pains, but with a hope of better economic future if the reforms are well implemented; or avoid the difficult reforms and allow the economy to fail. The two roads are fraught with danger, but at least the reformatory road has the potential of birthing a new economically viable nation. Of course, if the reforms are not well thought out, the nation may yet be consumed by the fury in the streets.

    A peep into the economic statistics before the Tinubu presidency and the present inflationary pressure would explain the challenges faced by the country. As has been reported, President Muhammadu Buhari was literally operating with borrowed funds, both for recurrent and capital expenditure. Some statistics claimed that the country was spending about 95% of its total income on servicing its humongous debts, leaving the paltry balance for government expenditure. And experts agree that to unlock progress for our country at doldrums, the equation must change.

    The two measures taken so far by the Tinubu presidency, which is the removal of fuel subsidy and merging the foreign exchange market have been hailed. The outcome of those difficult but necessary measures is that the government at all levels is no more as broke as they were before the measures were taken. However, on the part of the people, the inflationary pressure put at 24.08% as at July is becoming nearly unbearable, necessitating the N5 billion per state intervention by the Tinubu administration.     

    Interestingly, the federal executive council has also been constituted yesterday, and while there is the concern about the large number of ministers, this column in promoting the emergence of the Tinubu presidency, always argued that the president’s special skill is to increase the size of the cake to be shared. So, the expectation is that while the expenses will grow, the result would glow. This writer agrees that at the current income capacity, Nigeria is comparatively a poor country. According to available statistics, Nigeria GDP is expected to reach $491.71 billion by end of 2023, while that of South Africa the second largest economy in Africa, will be $407.49 billion. But conversely, the per capita for South Africa is expected to reach $6043.00 by end of 2023, while that of Nigeria will reach $2523.00.

    So, for those who say Nigeria is the largest economy and bring out their vuvuzela to compare human and infrastructural development in other countries with the life of poverty Nigerians live, they miss the vital economic point that with a population of over 200 million, the GDP we relish is nothing. What is needed is to increase the wealth-creation capacity of businesses and governments at all levels. The proverbial Nigerian cake needs to be quadrupled if majority of Nigerians would be able to leave a life of a middle income nation.

    Of course, the road to that threshold would be fraught with many difficult patches both for the governments and the people. President Tinubu, an ex-governor and a people-person should understand and connect to the excruciating sufferings in the land. The way to go is to encourage transparency in governance at the federal, state and local government levels. If it requires publication of the accrued revenues to all tiers of government, and less ostentatious governmental expenses especially under his federal government control, so be it.

    Finally, the palliative shared by the Federal Government to the states, and hopefully by states to local governments must significantly alleviate the sufferings of the masses. Those in power must not ignore the tell-tale signs of a nation at it breaking point.