Subsidy: Osun Awaits Adeleke’s Palliative Programme

• Coalition Calls For Inclusive Palliative Provision Committee

Ismaeel Uthman

THERE are high expectations by residents of Osun State from Governor Ademola Adeleke on provision of palliatives to cushion the effect of hike in fuel price as a result of removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol. 

The expectations riped when the Governors of neighbouring Oyo, Kwara, Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun and Lagos States announced different palliative programmes for their various citizens to mitigate the economic hardship. 

It would be recalled that the Ondo State Government, on August 4, announced that 18,000 “vulnerable” persons will get N10,000 monthly for three months, while all pensioners in the state will also get N10,000 starting this August.

The government also restored free shuttle buses for students starting from resumption in September, till December 31st, just as it declared that it will distribute free food packages to one million households across the 18 local governments of the state.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State had also on Tuesday set up a committee for the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER), which is meant to mitigate the effects of the removal of fuel subsidies and the resultant economic difficulties on citizens of the state.

Makinde had during a broadcast last Saturday stated that “Our SAfER package will ensure a softer landing for the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable. It will also address the need for food security through direct intervention to our farmers.”

In Ogun, Governor Dapo Abiodun had on July 25 announced a cash palliative of N10,000 for public servants and pensioners for a period of three months in the first instance, beginning from July.

The Governor also approved hazard allowance for health and medical personnel in the state and peculiar allowance for public servants, payment of March and April, 2023 leave bonuses for public servants, and immediate cash-backing for the quarterly payment of gratuities to pensioners. 

Also, the Ogun state’s ministries, departments and agencies are to work out modalities for ensuring that 20 percent of their staff strengths are off-duty daily to ease the subsidy situation, while the government is to immediately begin distributing food palliatives (rice, garri, beans, maize etc) to vulnerable citizens. 

In addition, the Gateway Trading Company has been mandated to establish food distribution outlets across the state, and sell the items at the rates obtainable in the market before the removal of fuel subsidy.

Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, had on July 24 approved a multi-sectoral palliative for the state to mitigate the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy 

The palliative included cash support of N10,000 for every public sector worker in the state which began in July and last until a new minimum wage is introduced.

Abdulrazaq also directed the leadership of the civil service to continue a staggered work schedule, not exceeding three days a week, to reduce transportation expenses for workers. 

The Governor also approved the payment of new hazard and skipping allowances, and 100% CONMESS for consultants and medical doctors under the government’s payroll.

He also approved a new regime of allowances for nurses working for the state government.

On July 27, the Ekiti state government announced the formation of a committee comprising critical stakeholders to devise modalities and measures for providing palliatives to the people of the state, aiming to cushion the effect of subsidy removal.

But Osun State government is yet to speak on the palliative programmes it has in plan to mitigate the effect of the fuel subsidy removal. 

This is just as some residents of the state, notably the civil servants are anxiously expectant of the palliative measures by the state government. 

OSUN DEFENDER observed that some of the citizens of the state, particularly the youths, have taken to their various social media handle to ask questions and call on Governor Adeleke to announce the government’s plan for palliative. 

The Coordinator of Peoples Welfare League, an Osun State based advocacy group, Mr Rafiu Agboola, tasked Adeleke to ‘make haste while the sun shines’, noting that the people of the state are anxiously waiting to know what he has in stock to cushion the economic hardship on them. 

Agboola, in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER, advised Adeleke to be guided by the needs of the people of the state on its palliative programmes.

“Governor Adeleke should make haste while the sun shines. Other states in the South-West have rolled out different palliative measures. The people of Osun are anxiously waiting for what our Governor will do to cushion this economic hardship; the Governor should please do something on time.

“However, I want to advise the Governor to be guided by the needs of the people. His palliative programme must be what the people will appreciate and he should note that majority of the residents of the state are not civil servants”, he stated. 

Commenting on the palliatives expectation, the Chairman, Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC), Comr.Waheed Lawal, tasked Adeleke to be judicious on the palliatives, warning that it must not be turned to political affairs. 

While expressing confidence in Adeleke’s administration to be transparent on the palliative programmes, Lawal called on the Governor to set up an inclusive Palliative Provision Committee that will ensure that the needy and others who deserve support of the government constitute majority of the prospective beneficiaries.

Lawal in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER said: “We are all expecting the government to come out with its plan on palliatives. Osun is the only state that has not rolled out palliative programme; we believe the Governor is working on it, but should understand that a long awaited hope weakens the heart.    

“On behalf of the people of the state, I want to warn that the expected palliative programmes should not be politicised; it should not be turned to party affairs. We are all citizens and residents of Osun irrespective of political parties or religions. The allocation to Osun is not directed to member of a specific political party; it is for all the people of Osun. 

“I want to advise the Governor to set up Palliative Provision Committee which will comprise government functionaries, religious leaders, civil society groups and community development association, to ensure that the needy and others who deserve the support constitute majority of the prospective beneficiaries.” 

Consider Student Community In Your Plan – NANS

This is just as students in the state have requested that the governor should consider one of them to be part of the proposed palliative committee. 

Assistant Secretary-General, National Association Of Nigeria Students (NANS), ZONE D, Comr. Olutunde Oluwole, in a statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, urged Adeleke to roll out palliatives and greatly consider the students to ease their burden.

The statement reads in part: “We implore you to ensure these relief materials also reach the student community because we believe in you, your administration. The provision of palliatives will greatly alleviate the burdens on students and promote their academic performance.

“We humbly request that students should be considered to be a part of the planning and implementation committee.”

All efforts to get the state government to respond to enquiries on the expected palliative programmes proved abortive.

Both the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Barr. Kolapo Alimi, and the Spokesperson to the Governor, Mallam Rasheed Olawale, did not respond to enquiries by this medium.