Subsidy palliatives: NLC blasts FG for sending 3, 000 bags of rice to Abia.

*Each Ward to get 14 bags

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abia State has blasted the federal government for sending a paltry 3, 000 bags of rice palliative package to the state.

A letter from the federal government to Abia indicated that the state would be given N5 billion cash; 40,540 bags of maize, 81,000 bags of 50kg rice and 121,432 bags of 50kg fertilizer. 

But as at Wednesday, August 23, 2023, when stakeholders gathered for the sharing of the palliatives at Government House, Umuahia, the federal government has only sent in N2 billion and 3, 000 bags of rice to Abia, prompting Abia state government to resolve to share the rice among the vulnerable members of the society only for now.

This may be an indication that the federal government’s palliatives meant to cushion the harsh economic conditions Nigerian have been subjected to as a result of thehasty, unplanned removal of fuel subsidy will be coming in stunted tranches.

The NLC representative in the Abia Sharing Committee, Comrade Okoro Ogbonnaya, in his reaction, expressed disappointment with the federal government’s decision to allocate 3,000 bags of rice to Abia state, contrary to what had been reported in the media. “This is appalling and it has complicated the distribution of the relief supply,” Ogbonnaya said.

Confirming the receipt of  the rice consignment and the cash, the Deputy Chief of Staff to Abia State Governor, Chinedu Ekeke, said the state government was expecting  N5 Billion naira, 40,540 bags of Maize, 81,000 bags of Rice and 121,432 bags of fertilizers as promised by the federal government but received 3,000 bags of rice and N2 billion cash.

“The Abia state government has received 3,000 bags of rice which came in 5 trucks. We were told that there would be fertilizers and also maize but we have not seen any of those. What we have received is actually the bags of Rice, 3000 of them.

“We were promised N5 billion but what we received as at last week Thursday was N2 billion. We are still expecting the balance. As at today, we have not received the remaining N3 billion,” Ekeke said.

According to him, a committee comprising representatives from NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and Pensioners would oversee the distribution of the items to the poor and vulnerable members of the society. He urged the members of the Committee to ensure that the relief items got to the targeted persons.

“We want these items to get to the people who honestly need them. Part of the rule for us as a government is that there is no government appointee that will be getting a grain of that rice. So our job is to distribute to the society‘s most vulnerable in all our communities,” Ekeke added.

Chairman of the State Sharing Committee of the Federal Government Palliatives in Abia, Rev. Father Christian Anokwuru, explained that government’s decision to distribute the palliatives to the poor and vulnerable members of the society stemmed from the inadequate quantity allocated to the state.

“The mail we received showed that Abia will be given 40,540 bags of maize, 81,000 50kg bags of rice and 121,432 50kg bags of fertilizer. These were expected, but the only thing we got is 3,000 bags of rice.

“We decided to share the rice at the ward level throughout the 184 wards in Abia and each ward of the 184 wards would be given 14 bags,” Anokwuru, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Policies and Interventions, said.

He emphasized that the Committee’s primary task was to ensure a transparent and smooth distribution process, adding that efforts have been made to ensure that credible and responsible persons handled the sharing in each ward.

He expressed optimism that the federal government would send another batch of palliatives to the state, assuring that the sharing modalities would be reviewed to accommodate more beneficiaries.

In his contribution, the NLC representative, Comrade Okoro Ogbonnaya, expressed disappointment with the federal government’s decision to allocate 3,000 bags of rice to Abia state, contrary to what had been reported in the media and described it as appalling as it has complicated the distribution of relief supplies.

However, Ogbonnaya commended the Governor Alex Otti-led administration for its proactive approach in distributing the 3,000 bags of rice to the poor and vulnerable members of society, as well as its decision to invest the N2 billion in acquiring long buses, aimed at alleviating the high transportation costs within the state. He expressed belief that these efforts would greatly benefit the citizens of Abia.

The representative of Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Mr Uma Kalu, described the distribution of the palliative as transparent. “Everything is going on fine as all the supervisors are here and we were told that another consignment is coming and let’s believe that the Federal Government will make good their promise,” he said.