Notwithstanding last Thursday’s approval of N5 billion for each of the 36 states of the federation by the Federal Government for procurement of food items and fertilisers as part of efforts to alleviate the sufferings occasioned by the removal of petrol subsidy, many of the states are yet to have any concrete palliatives plan for their residents.[ad]This is even as the residents of some states that have started implementing some palliatives are divided on the impact of such measures on their wellbeing. While some residents scored the initiatives very low, others applauded them but called for improvement and adoption of other measures.
Notwithstanding last Thursday’s approval of N5 billion for each of the 36 states of the federation by the Federal Government for procurement of food items and fertilisers as part of efforts to alleviate the sufferings occasioned by the removal of petrol subsidy, many of the states are yet to have any concrete palliatives plan for their residents.
A civil servant in the Ministry of Works, who simply gave his name as Tochi, said: “The buses do not really have much impact on the sufferings of the people. I was going to Mile One from Secretariat by 12noon today and when I came out to enter the bus, the drivers said they were on break and so I should wait till 2.30pm when they will resume. You are aware that they also close by 4.00pm for the day. So the whole thing surrounding the palliative is not encouraging.
An entrepreneur in the state whose office is located at Ikwere road in Port Harcourt, Emmanuel Lekan, however, applauded the initiative, saying: “I am yet to enter the bus but I see people using it and assuredly, it is reducing the pains of subsidy removal, especially the hike in transportation.” For instance, the transport fare from Ojota to Alausa Secretariat, which was increased to N300 as a result of fuel subsidy removal, was still N300 two weeks after the governor’s announcement. From Berger to Obalende on commercial buses that cost N700 before has increased to N1000.Despite Sanwo-Olu’s directive, some commercial vehicles take N1,500 from Berger to Victoria Island and N2000 to Lekki. The situation is the same across many routes to the disappointment of residents.
“We were referred to the Island Maternity Hospital for an advanced medical examination where doctors told me I must be admitted for continued observation. My husband did not want me admitted initially because of the cost. But we were told the care is completely free. We didn’t believe it until I started getting treatment without anyone asking us to pay a dime.”In Cross River State, Governor Bassey Otu, last weekend, kicked off the first batch of distribution of palliatives to the residents.
“I am aware that in response to the resulting financial strain of the subsidy removal on public workers, some proactive state governments introduced temporary measures to alleviate the situation by reducing work days from five to three days per week for state-employed workers pending when other sustainable palliatives can be provided. It is pathetic that our state government is yet to follow suit,” she said.
A resident, Osagie Daniel, commended the government for providing funds for the vulnerable in the state. During the inauguration of the committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai, Mbah had charged it to handle the palliatives with transparency and ensure speedy distribution of the items to those in dire need of them.
To a trader, Mrs. Mary Ugwu, the palliatives would help put food on the table of some families whenever they are distributed. She, however, expressed fears that such materials might end up in the homes of politicians, as was the case with previous exercises. Anambra State government is yet to announce to the public its plans and measures to cushion the effect of subsidy removal. As a result, residents have cried out to Governor Chukwuma Soludo for help, saying subsidy removal had created poverty, hunger, high cost of living, loss of jobs, closure of businesses as well as uncertainty in many homes.
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