Akwa Ibom Denies Receiving FG’s N30bn Palliative

Akwa Ibom State government has denied receiving the N30 billion Federal Government’s cash disbursement to states to cushion the effects of the prevailing socio-economic hardship as stated by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The state also explained that of the initial N5 billion repayable loan given to states with 3,000 bags of rice as oil subsidy removal palliative, only N2 billion was received with N3 billion still outstanding, adding that to effectively cater for the needs of the population in these trying times, the administration has augmented the Federal Government’s package with billions of cash and food items.

The state government’s reaction, LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered, came on the heels of the demand by a civil society organisation (CSO), Centre for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN), that the state government should properly account for the N30 billion, N5 billion palliative cash disbursement and other sundry monthly federal allocations to state and local government areas from the centre.

The state director of CHRAN, Otuekong Franklin Isong, said the call became necessary in order for the people to keep tab and hold the government accountable in the governance process.

“CHRAN recalled that the Federal Government had released the sum of N5 billion and 3,000 bags of rice to the Government of Akwa Ibom State for the people of the state as palliatives to cushion the effect of the withdrawal of fuel subsidy.

“CHRAN urged the governor of Akwa Ibom State to account for the N5 billion and the other palliatives released to the state government by the Federal Government including the recent N30 billion as declared by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio,” Isong stated.

But in a reaction, the state government denied the allegations, saying they were deliberately cooked-up lies aimed at stoking the embers of violence and creating social disharmony in the polity.

Responding to the allegations on behalf of the governor, the chief press secretary (CPS), Mr Ekerete Udoh, flayed the disposition of CHRAN on the issues, noting that it was ill-conceived piece of falsehood without fact-checking.

He maintained that the state government received the sum of N2 billion from the Federal Government and this was given as a loan facility which the state government is expected to pay back, adding that the state government has even been asked to pay back the loan.