Following the receipt of the first tranche of three thousand bags of 50kg rice as subsidy palliative from the federal government, Abia state government on Wednesday commenced the distribution of the rice to poor and vulnerable people across the 17 LGA of the state.
Speaking to journalists during the distribution at Michael Okpara Auditorium Umuahia, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Abia State on Policies and Intervention, Rev Fr Christian Anokwuru who confirmed that the state only took delivery of three thousand bags of rice from the federal government as the first tranche, disclosed that the committee overseeing the distribution of the palliative, comprising representatives of Christian Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Labour Congress, trade union congress, TUC, Nigeria Union of teachers, NUT, and government appointees, are working in synergy to ensure that only the poor and vulnerable get the palliative.
Anokwuru revealed that the state was expecting 81,000 bags of Rice, 40, 540 bags of maize, and 121, 432 bags of fertilizer from the federal government, but has received only 3,000 bags of Rice.
He disclosed that a total of 10, 600 families, of poor and vulnerable people are being targeted for the subsidy palliative, explaining that the state is expecting more of the rice, assuring that if it comes it will reach others.
The special Adviser revealed that the governor Dr Alex Otti has instructed that elected and political appointees and their family members will not benefit from the palliative, pointing out that each of the wards in the state will get 14 bags of rice, targeting only the poor and vulnerable people.
The Rev father Anokwuru while acknowledging the received of 2 billion naira out of 5 billion naira by the state from the federal government said that the state government is looking forward to investing the money where it will benefit all citizens, such as procuring buses that will convey people on subsidized price.
Meanwhile, the commissioner for trade commerce and industry Dr. Chimezie Ukaegbu and his transport counterpart Comrade Sunny Onwuma said that the committee will also monitor the distribution of palliative at the hinterland to ensure that only the poor and vulnerable benefit from the palliative, in-line with the directives of the governor.
In their separate remarks the state chairman of NLC Comrade Paschal Nweke, TUC comrade Ihechi Ehogwe, State chairman, CAN The Rev Ojo Uduma, Elder Umah Kalu of NUT, and state chairman of Medical and Health Workers Union Comrade Ogbonnaya Okoro who commended the state government for the transparent manner it is distributing the palliative, called on the federal government to ensure that the palliative get to the states fully as announced earlier, pointing out that three thousand bags of rice already received by the state is too small.
