The Akwa Ibom Government has confirmed receipt of N2 billion and 3, 000 bags of rice palliatives promised by the Federal Government.
Gov. Umo Eno announced this in Uyo on Tuesday, when he received the Palliatives Committee Report set up by the state government.
The palliatives were part of the Federal Government assistance to citizens through various state governments to help cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
Eno said that as part of the palliatives, the state government would ensure that a project was executed per Local Government Area to create employment, reinvigorate the economy and increase cash flow within the rural communities.
He said the projects would be awarded to indigenous contractors from the respective local government areas who in turn, would recruit the locals to work and enhance their productivity as well as boost their purchasing powers.
He, therefore, tasked the local government chairmen to liaise with the State Executive Council to identify peculiar areas of need to be favoured by the initiative.
The governor also urged the council areas to donate lands for the planned agricultural revolution by the state government.
“What we have received so far from the Federal Government is N2 billion and 3,000 (units) 50kg bags of rice.
“We believe that the other ones will come. If the Federal Government is donating N5 billion, the committee has recommended another N5 billion, so what we have here is N10 billion as the estimates for the palliatives,” he said.
Eno tasked the committee to ensure that the palliatives were given to the poorest of the poor across party lines and to residents of the state, especially those residing in the rural communities.
“I listened to you in terms of distribution of the palliatives and I love the modalities you have adopted. Please this must be across party lines.
“It is for the people of the state and residents; the people living here, whether indigenes or non-indigenes.
“I am happy that you have clearly mentioned that as part of your report. Please, this is not a PDP or an APC thing.
“It is an Akwa Ibom thing and we should ensure that we drive this down as we go to the villages to distribute the palliatives,” he further said.
Earlier, Secretary to the State Government and Chairman of the Palliatives Committee, Mr Enobong Uwah, thanked the governor for setting up the committee.
Uwah said the committee’s recommendations would ensure even distribution of the palliatives to all residents, especially the poor and the needy in the state.
He said the committee had been painstaking in its duties and came up with measures that would ameliorate the effects of the fuel subsidy removal on all classes of people.
According to him, the committee recommendations include, a-three month financial support to civil servants, approval of four working days to civil servants, reduction in cost of daily tickets to transport operators.
“Other recommendations included reduction in price of daily tickets for market women, payment of bursary to students, provision of free drugs for pregnant women, children and the aged, provision of buses to convey workers to and from work, among others. (NAN)