The Nasarawa State Chapter of the opposition People Democratic Party (PDP), at the weekend, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to quickly intervene in the alleged diversion of palliatives meant to cushion the effect of subsidy removal for poor citizens of Nasarawa State.

The call was contained in a press sign by the State PDP Chairman Francis Orogu in Lafia the state capital.

It will be recalled that the DSS had arrested some government officials in Nasarawa State for allegedly selling palliatives meant for the poor citizens of Nasarawa State distribution.

The statement said that the diversion of the palliatives was a plan to shortchange the poor citizens of Nasarawa State which the removal of fuel subsidy had negatively affected them in the state.

The statement read,” Our attention has been drawn to the unwholesome diversion of the palliatives and merciless shortchange of the poor people of our state by officials of the state government!

“This appeal has become urgent in order to ensure that the Federal Government’s noble decision to cushion the hardship Nigerians were facing does not become an avenue to line up the pockets of state government officials rather than help the poor.

“It is now clear that rather than apply the funds to purchase foodstuff and other items to help the people, the money has obviously been diverted while the citizens of the state were being given pitiable measures of food items and ridiculous amount that are an insult on the reputation of President Ahmed Tinubu.

“Already the BBC Hausa service, which witnessed the so called distribution of items in Keffi Local Government Area of the state, broadcast a report which has ridiculed the image of the Government of Nigeria because of the meager and miserly items given to whole families to feed on! POLL

“The BBC Hausa Service carried reactions of widows, orphans, and the weak who cried out for help against the insult and ridicule the poor have been subjected to by the state government in the name of palliatives distribution.

“The whole process is obviously designed to turn the people against the President and the FGN as the meager items being distributed are blamed on the Federal Government, rather than the criminal diversion of the money given to the state government for this purpose,” it said.

The statement added that it was obvious that even if the state government had utilized just N2 Billion a part of the N5 Billion given by the FGN to buy foodstuff for the poor in the state the impact would definitely be felt by the people,” the statement read.

It also explained that the PDP were constrained to draw the attention of the federal government to the unwholesome diversion of this money by the state government and the grains that security has since reported have been found being sold in markets.

The PDP said decision of President Tinubu to reduce the hardship of Nigerians in the wake of the subsidy removal has now become an opportunity for the state government to line up the pockets of its officials!

“What is going on in Nasarawa state in the name of palliatives distribution calls for prompt action by President Tinubu to save his name and the reputation of his administration.

“As a party and as a people, we cannot fold our arms and watch the good intention of the federal government to go down the drains,” PDP said.

The statement called on the Federal Government to urgently step up its monitoring mechanism to ensure that its pro poor policy is not derailed in Nasarawa state with a concomitant effect on the FCT. We suggest a constitution of a special task force made up of workers’ unions and civil society, among others, to handle the distribution of palliatives in Nasarawa state.

It also appealed to the Federal Government to set up a distribution committee compressing the NLC, NUJ, Pensioners, ASUU, NCWS, organized CSOs and other critical stakeholders if the Federal Government is serious and concerned with the plight of the people, especially in Nasarawa state.

The statement further urges the Federal Government to urgently tackle the involvement of the state government and its handpicked officials in the scandalous distribution of the food items and money, which has been unscrupulously hijacked. (Independent)

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