Nigerians have expressed anger over the delay in the distribution of the palliatives by the state governors.
The Nigeria Labour Congress, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, the Nigeria Union of Teachers, National Union of Pensioners and others in separate interviews with The PUNCH on Tuesday, lamented the hunger among their members and expressed misgivings about the way the palliatives package was being handled by the authorities.
Last Thursday, the Federal Government had announced the distribution of N180 billion and 180 trucks of rice to the states to ease the subsidy pains but many governors have kept the materials in warehouses while the workers and residents languish in hunger.
The Federal Government announced N5bn palliative for each state of the federation and 180 trucks of rice as part of measures to assuage the pains of the subsidy removal which had led to multiple hikes in fuel pump prices and driven up the prices of goods and services, worsening the poverty level in the country.
Announcing the release of the palliative at the end of the 135th National Economic Council meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima in Abuja, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum disclosed that the N5bn was to enable the state governments to procure 100,000 bags of rice, 40,000 bags of maize and fertilizers to cushion the effect of food shortage across the country.
Igbe said that contrary to what happened at the national level where labour leaders were involved in the palliative committee, such, he said had yet to be replicated in the state.
He said, “I’m not aware of palliative committee set up in the state here but at the national level, labour leaders were Involved and we are hoping that we will be involved in the state too.
The spokesperson for the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Abdulrazaque Barkindo, could not be reached for comment on the allegations that the governors did not involved the labour leaders in the sharing of the palliatives and the allegations they warehoused the palliatives with little consideration for the suffering masses.
But an official said it was too early to level such allegations against the governors.
He said “It is too early to ask for any accountability or sharing of the paliative, even if you are the one given this palliative it can take up to five months before you can reach out to every part of a state.
“This money was given just last week, so the Nigerian Labour Congress shouldn’t be in a hurry to ask the governors for anything. I am aware that in Adamawa State, government included the NLC in the sharing committee. NLC is not being truthful.”
But the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and the Nigeria Union of Teachers noted that only the implementation of a wage award would be sustainable for the Nigerian workers and not distribution of grains.
The National President of ASUP, Anderson Ezeibe, argued that distribution of the palliatives through state governors would not be effective as it may be influenced by political considerations.
Moreover, he said, it was not a sustainable means of lifting the people out of the extreme poverty induced by the bad economic situation in the country.
He stated, “The issue of palliative distribution to Nigerians in the form it is taking is not appealing to my union. The process of distribution of food items and other items through governors is not going to be effective as it will also be fraught with unhelpful political considerations in the distribution.
‘’Moreover, it is not a sustainable means of lifting the people out of the extreme poverty induced by the bad economic situation in the country. The government should immediately work with the labour centres to work out a new and acceptable wage structure to cater for workers. Also sectors like agriculture, education, health, transport and infrastructure should be given utmost priority as they have direct bearing on the wellbeing of the people.”
Also speaking, the Secretary-General of the NUT, Mike Ene disclosed that no member of the union had received the palliatives, insisting that a lot was wrong with the process, noting that unscrupulous individuals could hijack the package.
He noted, “I’ve not seen anyone or heard anyone who said he or she has received any form of palliative. There are lots of issues wrong with this distribution. This is something that has been happening over time; the government will have good intentions but some individuals will hijack the whole process. There are situations where those at the local levels manipulate names and transmit them as list for palliative distribution.’’
Ene called for a review of the palliative distribution process, stressing that the surest way to alleviate the situation for the workers is through wage award.
She added that workers in the state still go to work every day, saying, “We still report at the office every day.”
She called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu “to be more proactive and put words to action both in the (public) service and to Lagosians at large.”
Like their counterparts in Lagos, the NLC and Trade Union Congress in Kwara State said their members had yet to receive the promised palliative from the state government.
The Chairman of the Kwara State branch of the NLC, Saheed Olayinka said that no worker in the state has received foodstuff or any other package, apart from the N10,000 added to their salary.
“The labour unions were not included in the committee set up by the government to distribute the palliatives, we have not received anything from the government,” he said.
The TUC chairman in the state, Tunde Joseph, echoed the same sentiment, saying, “Our members have not received any foodstuff from the government apart from the N10,000 put on the workers’ salary.”
The Delta State chapter of the NLC said it is discussing the issue of palliative distribution with the state government.
He had earlier disclosed a target of 300,000 households each with six persons.
Speaking while sharing some palliatives at the former Bakasi IDPs camp, he said, ‘’Today, we are here to distribute palliatives to 100,000 vulnerable households under the Presidential Initiative. This is in addition to the 300,000 households Borno State Government had rolled out early this month.”
The state’s deputy governor, Umar Usman Kadafur, flagged off a similar distribution exercise in Biu town on Monday.
In Bayelsa State, there is no indication that the state government has started the distribution of its share of the Federal Government’s palliative to civil servants and residents.
As of Tuesday, there was no official announcement by the Governor Douye Diri-led administration on the N5bn palliative fund.
However, the deputy governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, held a meeting with caretaker committee chairmen of the eight local government councils, labour leaders and principal officers of the LGAs at the Government House, Yenagoa, on Monday.
A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, said Ewhrudjakpo informed the workers that the administration would this month commence the payment of wage and gratuity award to local government employees and retirees to cushion the biting effects of the fuel subsidy removal.
Despite the clamour for quick distribution of the palliatives, the Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed just constituted the committee on Monday.
The committee will be headed by his deputy, Auwal Jatau.
Mohammed said the distribution of the palliative would commence soon, adding that the distribution committee was set up to come up with the framework of assistance to beneficiaries, including payment of allowances to civil servants, payment of gratuities and pensions to retirees and pensioners, transportation, procurement of food and non-food items.
The situation was the same in Kano State where the authorities were yet to get their acts together on the distribution of palliatives to workers and residents.
The Kano State NLC Chairman, Kabir Inuwa, disclosed that the civil servants in the state had yet to receive any package.
But Sanusi Tofa, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, said that the government will soon commence distribution of the palliatives.
Tofa, who declined to state the exact date for the commencement of the distribution, said the state government will constitute a committee to deliberate on the sharing modalities.
He revealed that the money would be channelled to transport, food, agriculture, education and human capital sectors.
Alia promised that his administration will pay the registration fees for students sitting for the West African Examinations Council and National Examination Council for the 2023/24 session.
He explained that the N5bn palliative was divided into two components- N2.4bn was interest-free loan while N2.6bn was a grant.
He also disclosed that a total of 5,000 women would receive grants through their various cooperatives while 2,000 youths would be trained in six ICT programmes.
Furthermore, the governor said part of the money would be used to pay one month’s pension for state and local government pensioners.
He disclosed that the government would supply 100 buses to the state-owned transport company, Benue Links as well as launch a township shuttle in Makurdi, Gboko and Otukpo towns.
Speaking further, the governor explained that the state had received five trucks of rice from the FG totalling 3,000 bags, adding that each local government would receive 100 bags.
She stated, “On social intervention for pensioners – starting this August as earlier promised, pensioners will get their N10,000 paid at the same time they are getting their salaries.
‘’Also, vulnerable people in our communities will start getting their N10,000 from the first week of September. For public servants, the outstanding leave bonus for 2020 will be paid along with their salaries this month.’’
