Controversy is trailing the Federal Government’s released N2billion of the promised N5billion for palliatives in Edo State, which was also received by other states.

Edo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, addressing reporters yesterday in his office in Benin, refused to own up on the receipt of the N2billion by the Governor Godwin Obaseki administration for palliatives.

Nehikhare, accompanied by the Commissioner for Physical Planning, Isoken Omo and Obaseki’s Chief Press Secretary, Andrew Okungbowa, asked the Federal Government to come clean on the sensitive matter.

Nehikhare said: “When the first set of FAAC (Federation Account Allocation Committee) was shared a few months ago, the Federal Government said it was holding onto some states’ allocations. The Federal Government has not told us if the N5billion it promised each state was part of the money it held back; if it was from the Federal Government’s 52 per cent of the FAAC or the 48 per cent to the states and local governments.

“If someone is giving me money from my allocation, I do not think he is doing me a favour. If the Federal Government is taking from its 52 per cent, and giving each state N5billion, then we will tell the Federal Government thank you. We have asked this question on many occasions, but we have not got response from the Federal Government, if the N5billion is from the 48 per cent that is constitutionally assigned to the states and local governments, or from the Federal Government’s 52 per cent. “

“The Federal Government should explain to Nigerians where the N2 billion is from. Is it from the statutory allocation of 48 per cent to the states and local governments or from the Federal Government’s 52 per cent?”

He noted that the free bus ride initiative in Edo between 6:30am and 7pm, which started on September 11, had benefited 1,494,000 passengers within Benin and its environs, as well as 33,000 passengers in inter-city routes in the state.

He said: “What we are doing is to make life better for Edo people. We do not work with Kneejerk. We plan and strategise. Among what we have done is to make sure residents get free rides. Transportation is one of the highest expenses in families’ budgets. We have cut it drastically from most families. We have done very well.

“If some states used their funds to buy new buses, they have their strategies. In Edo State, there are many things we are doing to make our people’s lives better. We are continuously increasing the fleet of our buses, and we are maintaining them, to ensure they perform optimally. We are also considering buying gas-powered buses, to make sure our people get the benefits of the government they put in place.”

The commissioner for information and orientation said the Obaseki administration was collecting data in the 18 local governments on the poorest of the poor, to accurately determine the beneficiaries of palliatives, devoid of politics.

He said Edo had effective data-collection system, in collaboration with the World Bank.

The commissioner for physical planning said the Obaseki administration was committed to the Coral City project in Benin, in order to decongest the city and have new towns being spearheaded by Edo State New Town Development Authority.

He said 467 plots were opened up at the Coral City for sale to individuals and comprehensive developers, with emphasis also being placed on the clean and green initiative of Edo government, which she said was not restricted to physical planning. (The Nation)

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