Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has given reasons for the delay in the distribution of the Federal Government’s food palliatives to the people of the state to cushion the effects of subsidy removal.
The federal government last week announced the release of an N180 billion palliative package to states to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal.
Each state is expected to get N5 billion and 180 trucks of rice and maize as part of measures to assuage the pains of the subsidy removal.
In a statement, however, issued on Monday, August 21, Governor Adeleke said Osun State is yet to fully receive the first and second batch of items promised by the Federal Government.
He noted that while the state is still waiting for the last truck of 600 bags of rice first batch of the palliative, nothing from the second batch of the palliative has been received.
The statement made available to newsmen this morning by the Osun Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Hon Kolapo Alimi, the second batch, which is expected as soon as possible, includes 14,516 bags of 50kg rice and 3,200MT of maize.
The statement further quoted the message from the federal government team reading as follows: “We hereby wish to inform you that the second batch of federal government food palliative distribution is poised to commence as soon as possible, and you are scheduled to receive 14,516 bags of 50kg rice and 3,200MT of maize”
Hon Alimi said the update above is necessary to keep the public abreast of development on the palliative distribution, clarifying, however, that a truck of 600 bags is still outstanding from the first batch.
The Osun State commissioner explained further that the state government is finalizing the template for distribution, which he promised will ensure that all segments of the society benefit from the distribution exercise.
“The Government wants to ensure full delivery before launching out on the distribution. We assure the public of transparency and accountability in the sharing of the foodstuffs to the citizenry”, the statement posited.