Palliatives

The FG, which promised palliatives for Nigerians, and failed, has been unable to stop the National Assembly, NASS, from handing N160 million vehicle palliatives to its members.

Also speaking, the Secretary-General of the NUT, Mike Ene, disclosed that no member of the union had received the palliatives, insisting that a lot was wrong with the process.

He recalled how many families benefited from the previously distributed N5,000 as palliatives, arguing that the current move is justifiable.

He said the budget revenue sources will be inflows from Paris Club Refund, Payee Tax Liabilities, Special Intervention Funds (palliatives), Internally Generated Revenue and the Infrastructure support fund.

He was quoted as having said during the visit: “We want to extend palliatives to members of the National Youth Service Corps.

In the same vein, Somide added that palliatives were carried out on some roads across the state, using boulders and crushed stones.

Kebbi State governor, Dr. Nasir Idris, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed Idris, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, said the governor is targeting all categories of civil servants for palliatives.

Kunde said as soon as the State government gets delivery of the last batch of palliatives, it will commence distribution.

Ondo government last week flagged off the distribution of palliatives to vulnerable households in the state and Commissioners were asked to lead in fhe distribution in their respective local governments.

Providing palliatives to cushion the effect of harsh policies of government or disasters has become a trend of governance in Nigeria.

Speaking on cash palliatives to the aged and widows, the legislator said, “I believe so much in giving back to the people, I believe so much in empowering my people most especially at a time they needed it.

The governor encouraged every Imo citizen to get their social security numbers which will not only enable them to be identified but also benefit from both the state and federal government palliatives.

The governor further charged the committee to ensure that the palliatives got to the people who deserved it and also ensure it was distributed with speed and transparency.

The governor said beneficiaries of the palliatives would come from all the 44 local government areas of the state.

The House of Representatives has asked the new administration to provide palliatives to mitigate the effect of the petroleum subsidy removal on Nigerians.

The minister said steps would be taken to return the 11,000 displaced children to school, he she stressed that the parents of the children would only be entitled to palliatives when they allow their children to return to school.

According to Abegunrin, instead of giving palliatives to a few people, who will convert them to private use, it will be better if the government subsidises the costly food items in the markets to make them affordable for the masses.

According to him, the palliatives will not be distributed along party, ethnic or religious lines, adding that the targeted beneficiaries are the poorest of the poor in Kogi State.

Government’s response to the hardship it created should go beyond throwing money at the problem in the name of palliatives that don’t deliver substantial and comprehensive relief.

He also said that the traditional rulers in Oyo State were, on regular basis, being updated by government on how palliatives were being given to people in their areas.