Subsidy removal: Gov. Sule increases rice distribution from 7kg to 50kg in Nasarawa

Dissatisfied with the controversy trailing distribution of the federal government palliative to cushion the effect of subsidy removal, governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state has increased the initial 7kg bags of rice to 50kg to meet the need of the people in the state.

Distributing the federal government food items and N5,000 cash from the state in Keana, Awe and Obi local government areas of the state, Sule said he personally decided to carry out the distribution to avert further diversion of the items by those he described as ‘enemy of the government’.

The governor explained that the 50kg bag of rice was from the Federal Government as a palliative measure to cushion the effect of petrol subsidy removal, while the N5,000 was from the state government for the same purpose.

Sule lamented while distributing the items the criminal tendencies of some persons, who rather than giving out the items to the beneficiaries decided to scam them

“Some persons would remove part of the N5,000 given to each beneficiary, leaving them with N2,000 or N3,000. This is criminal. I will no longer tolerate act of criminality among those in my government or outside the government no matter my relationship with such person”, Sule declared.

He further warned that he would not take it likely with anybody caught in such an act, and charged the beneficiaries not to allow anyone collect whatever they get from him.

Meanwhile, the state House of Assembly had on Tuesday constituted a 7man panel to investigate allegation of parliative diversion in the state.

The 7 man committee is to ensure that all those involved in the diversion of the palliatives meant for the poor of the poorest are are brought to book and made to face the law accordingly.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi gave order while constituting the Committee on a matter of public importance brought before the House by Hon Musa Ibrahim Abubakar (NNPP, Doma South) during the House plenary in Lafia.

According to the Speaker, the House would not fold its arms and watch some disgruntled people in the state sabotaging the good intention of President Bola Tinubu and Gov. Abdullahi Sule in providing parliative to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal in Nasarawa state

The 7 man committee is made up of the Deputy Speaker, Abel Bala as Chairman, the Minority Leader, Hon Daniel Ogazi, Hon Musa Ibrahim, Hon Barr Esson Mairiga, Hon Hajara Danyaro, Hon Luka Zhekaba, and Hon Danladi Jatau as members while Barr. Safiya Balarabe is to serve as the Secretary

“I will give you three weeks to do your work and report back to the House and all those involved must be invited to appear before the committee and be give fair hearing at all levels of the committee’ meeting”, The Speaker stated.

” It is sad and very disappointing that some people are sabotaging the good intention of Mr President and Gov. Sule in alleviating the suffering of the poor. The purpose of the palliatives is to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal. I don’t know why some people will undertake the diversion of the palliatives for their personal use and their families”.

” Every leader have three judgements await him, one the Judgement of the people, the judgement of posterity and the judgement of God Almighty. We must do the right thing at all times so that posterity will judge us rightly, the people will also judge us right and also face God Almighty judgment with free conscious , ” he said.

“If we allowed this to continue, people will judge us wrongly, posterity will condemn us and God Almighty will punish us” Balarabe declared.

While decrying the alleged diversion of the palliatives, especially rice, the speaker wondered why food items meant to assist those in need are sold to traders and found in the market places and urged the committee to do a thorough job assuring that those involved will be brought to book to serve as a warning to others.

The Speaker who called for attitudinal change among political leaders, stakeholders and other Nigerians for the country to move forward. said for the country to move, Nigerians especially the politicians must change their ways of life.

The Committee has three weeks within which to carry out it’s assignment and report back to the House for appropriate action.