Ekiti Alerts Residents On N5bn Palliatives Funds Online Advert Scam

Ekiti State government has alerted the residents of the state and dissociated itself from fraudsters asking people to apply for the N5 billion federal government palliative funds.

It also appealed to the people to exercise patience, assuring that the palliatives being rolled out to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal will go round to the categories of people it is meant for.

The state’s commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun who disclaimed the advertisement in a statement yesterday advised the good people of the state to ignore all online unauthorised advertisements purportedly placed on behalf of the state government.

The statement reads: “It has come to the notice of the government of Ekiti State that some fraudsters masquerading as agents of the State have placed advertisements in some online platforms asking unsuspecting members of the public to apply for the N5 billion federal government palliative funds.

“The Ekiti State government hereby unequivocally disowns all online and any other form of advertisements requesting for applications to benefit from the palliative funds.

“The state government has its official channels of communicating its decisions to the public.  Members of the public are also urged to contact the Office of the state commissioner for information for clarifications and enquiries”.

Olatunbosun while speaking with LEADERSHIP in Ado Ekiti noted that though the first tranche of the palliatives received may not go round at once but will definitely get to everyone as the exercise continues.

He said, “The palliative measures being put in place by both federal and state governments are all continuous exercise and I am very sure it will be multifaceted  because we have different levels, categories and cadres of people across the country and each state of the federation.”

The commissioner who called on the people to show understanding said, “what is important is  for them to know that, it is a work in  progress and we will continue to attend to issues as they come.

“We have explained to them what we have got from the federal government from the angle of palliatives and relief materials.

“Though it cannot be sufficient at once but we have received the first tranche of the palliatives and it continues in different measures .It is a continuous exercise from the way we were briefed at the distribution committee level.

“We wish to have more of the palliatives as much as the federal government can support states and we as a state will add our own to it. Until we are able to get the palliatives to the last man on the street who needs it, we will continue to request for more.

“We are very sure president Tinubu has been very focused and shown capacity and readiness to ensure that the government is responsive and responsible to Nigerians”.