The Kwara State Government has concluded plans for the distribution of rice palliatives to the state’s most disadvantaged residents on Wednesday, with the committee stating that it would distribute at least 250,000 10kg bags in the first phase.
The Governor, Mallam Abdul Rahman Abdulrasaq, noted at the distribution’s start in Ilorin, the state capital, that the palliatives are simply a show of empathy with the people while more durable programmes are executed in stages.
Engr Yakubu Salihu-Danladi, Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, represented him.
According to the Governor:
“This is only a fraction of what we have done to identify with the people at this very critical moment of our national life. Palliatives are a stop-gap measure to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy on the most vulnerable among us.
“Today, we are flagging off the distribution of the first consignments of rice we purchased with the N2bn so far received from the Federal Government. We are distributing at least 250,000 10kg bags of rice in this phase.
“Beneficiaries will be identified on a nonpartisan basis by the committee of eminent Kwarans. This committee has continued to consult with different blocs of our communities as well as evidence-based registers of vulnerable people domiciled with key agencies of government such as health insurance, primary healthcare agencies, as well as the World Bank. Distribution will be done in accordance with the timetable and logistics of the committee.”
The exercise’s flag-off, according to the committee’s chair, Kwara State Commissioner of Police Ebunoluwarotimi Adelesi, will see the palliatives distributed to all 16 local governments following agreement on the modalities with all interested parties.
“The committee has the mandate to distribute approximately 250,000 bags of 10kg rice and advise the government on effective deployment of the N1bn worth of maize from the Maize Reserve (SMR) through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for Livestock Farmers across the state,” she added.
Alhaji Jimoh Adeshina, the president of the Kwara State Artisans Congress, praised AbdulRazaq for taking this attempt to mitigate the consequences of gasoline subsidies.
cc: Punch Ng
