Osun State palliatives distribution committee has said they have resolved to wait for the second batch of rice component of allocated Federal Government fuel subsidy removal palliative before distribution to the vulnerable members of the public.
Members of the committee drawn from Market women association, transport unions, Muslims and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) representatives, pensioners, labour representatives, people with special needs, among others were inaugurated on Wednesday.
Osun Government handed the distribution of the palliatives to the committee with a directive to decide the template to adopt in the distribution.
The committee member who spoke one after the other at a press conference yesterday said they will ensure that the palliatives were well distributed.
The leadership of the groups which include Sheikh Mustapha Olawuyi, unanimously agreed that the 3000 bags of rice already received by the state government should be delayed till when the awaiting batch of palliatives will be received so as to distribute them altogether.
Sheikh Mustapha Olawuyi said the committee has decided to wait for the second batch of 14,000 bags of rice before it will distribute it to the populace to facilitate bulk distribution.
Meanwhile, the state government at the briefing disclosed that it is still expecting the N5bn federal government pledged to make available to the state to cushion the effect of subsidy removal.
The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi said that the state government has received the 3,000 bags of 50kg rice for the first batch but is yet to receive N5bn promised by the federal government.
His words: “Yes, we have received all the 3,000 bags of 50kg rice from the federal government, but we have not received any amount from the N5bn it pledged to the state. I am not speaking for any state, but here in Osun, we are still expecting it and when we get it the whole world will know.
“We are still waiting for another consignment of 14,000 bags as well as 3,200MT of maize. Governor Ademola Adeleke is running an open administration, when we get it, we will definitely make it public”, he said.
