Governor Umaru Bago declares next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday as public holidays as he announces fuel subsidy removal palliatives for Nigerlites

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger state has announced the sum of over N5 billion palliatives to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal for Nigerlites, cutting across political parties, religious bodies, and as well critical stakeholders.

Governor Bago has also declared next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (6th, 7th, and 8th) of September 2023 as public holidays in the state to enable government functionaries to visit their constituencies and ensure even distribution of the contents.

Giving a breakdown of the entire package to journalists during a Press briefing that took place at Government House Minna on Friday , the Governor said the state government received N2 billion cash from the federal government, adding that it is still expecting an additional N2 billion.

The Governor explained that while he is still waiting for the remaining sum, the state government can no longer continue to wait but augment the N3 billion cash and the N1 billion worth of grains so far received from the federal government just to avoid incurring the wrath of the people

According to him, Niger State government has so far received trucks of maize and rice worth N1 billion from federal government, highlighting further that the cash backing will go directly to the Local Government Areas for the people, communities and Wards to decide what they needed most to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal hardship on them

“We tried to avoid centralizing the process, the cash backing for the palliative, because we want each community and people to handle it as their own. Decide on what their most pressing needs are this will also give them the opportunity to source for what they need locally and by implication empowering their people as well”.

Governor Umaru Bago informed journalists that part of the money has been expended for the procurement of 100 luxurious buses, stressing that 50buses are to ply Minna to Abuja, 25 Buses for Minna intra-city services, while the remaining 25 Buses will be distributed across the 25 Local Government Areas of the state

Continuing, Governor Bago, who announced a standing committee vested with the responsibility of ensuring that the entire process is properly managed, hinted that, “While 22 Local Government Areas will be given N10 million each, three local government areas; Suleja, Minna and Bida will get N20 million each”.

The Governor, who is meeting with journalists for the first time since his inauguration, also said that traditional rulers has their own separate package so that they will not be tempted to tamper with what belongs to their subjects, warning however that anyone caught diverting the contents will be meted with the full wrath of the law.

Bago, who encouraged citizens to hold their representatives accountable for any mistake, said, “We decided that Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday next week be work-free days so that every government functionary and other key stakeholders will be involved in ensuring that nobody is left out.” (Saturday Tribune)

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