Akwa Ibom State governor Umo Eno, has inaugurated an 18-man committee to oversee the distribution of palliatives.
He charged them to imbibe highest level of equity in the disbursement of the relief materials to ensure those worst hit by the harsh economic crises get a fair share.
The committee has the secretary to the state government (SSG), Prince Enobong Uwah, as chairman, commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Mr Frank Archibong, secretary; chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Sunny James, and 15 other members drawn from government, organised labour and civil society organisations (CSOs), as members.
Inaugurating the committee, Governor Eno outlined its terms of reference to include “providing in details, the measures of how the palliative items would be distributed to positively affect the target population of the poor across the state; creating awareness on measures taken by the state government; and ensuring success in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of palliative measures, while upholding integrity in the discharge of their responsibilities.”
He announced the receipt of 3,000 bags of rice so far, from the federal government and tasked the committee to ensure that the palliatives get to people who really need them, and to evaluate and recommend to the state government other measures to complement the federal government’s share.
He stated that this should be done with reference to economic realities and availability of funds in the state within the time frame of two weeks.
He said: “Apart from the recommendations, we have to know how you want us to make it trickle down so that you will also be part of the implementation not just for civil servants, but for Akwa Ibomites generally, particularly to the most vulnerable, those who really need these things.
