Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun has launched the distribution of 300,000 bags of 10kg rice palliatives to state residents.
The ceremony on Friday was in keeping with Prince Abiodun’s vow to secure the quick distribution of palliatives.
The governor confirmed that the palliatives were provided to states by the federal government and had been domesticated by the state administration.
“This is a federal government initiative led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that is being domesticated right here in Ogun State.”
“In the first instance, we hope to distribute approximately 300,000 bags of 10kg rice across our 5,400 polling units.”
“We decided to use polling units as a distribution reference rather than wards because we realised that wards would not be equitable.”
“Imagine comparing a ward in Sagamu, such as the Ogijo ward, to a ward in Ikenne. It is extremely unfair and inequitable to use the ward as a benchmark for allocating palliatives.
“But because we know that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has done a very detailed arrangement of our polling units to the point where all of us belong to a polling unit and that has allowed us to determine the number of people in our different wards.”
“So you discover that a ward in Ogijo, for example, will have far more polling units than a ward in Ikenne or Remo North.” So we decided to utilise the polling units as a point of comparison,” he explained.
Abiodun stated that a committee of prominent men and women has been formed to oversee the distribution of palliatives.
He stated that the group, which will be chaired by his deputy, will guarantee that the palliative distribution is efficiently executed, and that similar committees will be formed in each of the 20 local governments.
“This committee is comprised of eminent, dependable, and distinguished men and women from across the state.”
“The committee will be chaired by my Deputy Governor, and she will be supported by our former deputy governors who are present, as well as two members of the National Assembly, one representing the House of Representatives and the other representing the Senate.”
“Members of the state Assembly, specifically the Deputy Speaker and Minority Leader, our Iyalojas, CDCs, CDAs, members of our youth community, inter-ethnic representatives, community leaders, and other distinguished eminent personalities that we believe will ensure that the palliative distribution is effectively, efficiently, and transparently implemented,” he said.
According to him, the Central Working Committee (CWC) will be tasked with establishing committees in each of the state’s 20 local government regions.
The council chairman, Governor’s Liaison Officers (GLO), a member of the state House of Assembly in each local government, religious leaders, community leaders, youths, students, Iyalojas, and traditional institutions will make up the committees in each local government.
While commending President Tinubu for conceptualising the programme to mitigate the impact of the removal of the fuel subsidy, Abiodun stated that his administration has classified the president’s various interventions, which his administration has domesticated into the immediate, medium, and long terms.
The state’s governor stated that his administration has began the payment of N10,000 travel allowance to public officials in the state, as well as the payment of various allowances ranging from hazard and gratuity.
“As you recall, we began by providing N10,000 transport allowances to all of our public servants, including pensioners and teachers across the board.”
“We also determined that no more than 80% of our workforce should be required to come to the office at any given time.”
“We have started paying various allowances, including hazard allowances.” We began offsetting backlogs of various payments, including as pensions, gratuities, deductions, and all other payments, since we see them as part of the cushioning effect of subsidy elimination,” he stated.
Abiodun also stated that his administration would provide health insurance coverage to pregnant mothers throughout the state.
He also stated that the health insurance coverage will allow them to access primary, secondary, or tertiary health care facilities.
“We will also provide for all pregnant women in Ogun State through our Ogun State Health Insurance Coverage called ‘Ibi Dero.'”
“This will cover their pre-natal engagements and also post-natal consultations for up to six months,” he explained. “This means that you can go to a Primary Health Care Centre, Secondary Health Care Centre, or Tertiary and consult Pre-natal, give birth for free because the state government is bearing the cost of all that.”
The governor also stated that his administration would extend the palliatives to impoverished pupils across the state.
While also revealing that his administration would soon begin its energy transition programme, which would allow state-owned buses to use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Prince Abiodun added that the start of its E-mobility programme would allow his administration to replace petrol-powered motorcycles with electric motorcycles at the expense of the state.
Earlier, the representatives of the Community Development Associations (CDAs), Usman Olamilekan, and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Comrade Bola Lawal, praised Governor Abiodun for his open-door policy.
Alhaja Yemisi Abass, the Iyaloja General of Ogun State and a member of the committee, also complimented the governor for sending more grains to supplement the ones given by the Federal Government.
He complimented the governor for appointing members of the committee from around the state.
In an interview, Mrs. Ileyemi Olayinka, representing people with special needs, and Comrade Segun Obadimu, representing the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, thanked Governor Dapo Abiodun for the rice palliative given to them, noting that such programmes would help the people of the state persevere.
