Biodun Esan, Ilorin Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara on Tuesday inaugurated the 12-person committee on the distribution of the N5 ...
Biodun Esan, Ilorin
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara on Tuesday inaugurated the 12-person committee on the distribution of the N5 billion federal government’s palliatives in the state, urging them to be transparent and nonpartisan.
The Governor said the palliative is only one of the many steps the government has taken to relieve people of the difficulties arising from the fuel subsidy removal and strengthening the economy.
“It is essential to clarify that food palliatives are only a stopgap measure to show empathy and reach out to the people, especially the most vulnerable ones among us. It is not the only step the government has taken since the removal of fuel subsidies.
“Government is committing considerable resources to hasten mass production and use of gas and electricity-powered vehicles nationwide as well boost agricultural productivity, manufacturing, and small and medium scale enterprises.
“We are in this together, and I plead that we work together as one people bound by one destiny to get over this current challenge.
“We have set up this committee to make the process of distributing palliative as nonpartisan, transparent, participatory, and credible as humanly possible.
“We trust your judgment and commitment to make the palliatives reach the nearest and farthest corners of our state,” AbdulRazaq told the committee.
The Governor, commended members of the committee for accepting to serve the state, urging them to make Kwara a shining example, saying that other states are already adopting the modalities of the Kwara State Government.
The committee’s terms of reference include reaching out to different stakeholders and communities, including labour unions and trade unions, marketers, to generate a list of beneficiaries that would be as representative as possible.
The committee, among other things, will also coordinate and distribute the rice palliative in 10kg bags and advise the government on the best way to handle the maize component of the palliative.
The timeframe for the assignment would be determined by different factors, such as the receipt of the balance of N2 billion to be given to the state, which would then be used to purchase new consignments of the foodstuffs, according to the terms of reference.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, Commissioner of Police Ebunoluwa Rotimi Adelesi thanked the governor for finding members of the committee worthy and for having the trust in them to be members of this committee.
“We promised to be transparent. We are not going to let the Governor and the state down.
“We will put into consideration the people who are supposed to be given the palliatives: the deserving people.
“We are going to abide by the terms of reference and we will come clean with the public to let them know what we are doing. We will not let you down,” the CP said.
Other members of the committee are His Royal Highness Dr. Haliru Yahaya; Abdulrasheed Shafi (DSS); and Prof Hamzah Abdulraheem (Secretary-General of JNI, Kwara State).
The rest are Bishop Sunday Timothy Adewole (CAN); Dr. Lawal.Olohungbebe (CSO); Mrs. Grace Funke Bolaji (CSO); Dr. Saudat AbdulBaqi; Stephen Owoyale; Comrade Yusuf Bashir (People living With
Disabilities); Binta Abubakar Mora (NUJ); and Abdulrahman Babatunde Ameen (Secretary).
END
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