Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has commenced the distribution of palliatives to cushion the effect of subsidy removal on vulnerable residents.
Akeredolu, at the flag-off of the distribution of the palliatives, held in Isua Akoko, on Tuesday, said his administration was aware of the hardship the citizens of the state are currently facing.
Speaking on behalf of the governor, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, said the distribution was starting from the northern senatorial district of the state.
She explained that 1,200 bags of rice were being distributed to 6,000 households, especially in the council area where the flag-off is taking place.
According to her, the food palliatives and distribution were meant for all residents of the state regardless of their political affiliations
“Today, we are kicking off the distribution of palliatives to Ondo State residents and it happens that the four local government areas in Akoko are the first to be distributed.
“There will be five people to a bag of rice and here, we have trucks coming in to take the palliatives to various towns in Akoko South East comprising Ipesi, Sosan, Ifira, Epinmi, Isua among others. We have 1,200 bags of rice for Akoko South East and we are targeting 6,000 households in the local government.”
While noting that the palliatives measures were part of delivery taken from the federal government, Olateju said the state government also purchased some of the items for distribution to the people.
She revealed that religious groups, market women, and traders associations among others would benefit from the palliatives.
“We have selected the most vulnerable households but based on our experience while we are drawing the list, we have seen that we will go very far. We have a Muslim community, Christian Association, Market women, traders association, tailoring association, and Iyalojas among others.
“We have been very diligent in making this selection. We will learn a lot of lessons from the distribution. Whatever lessons we learn, we are going to share them with the main committee and we hope we don’t learn bad lessons Even if we learn bad lessons, we hope to gain from them because this is the first tranche and lessons learnt we can improved upon.
She, however, assured that besides rice, other local food items would be procured and distributed to the poor people in the state using the existing data in the communities in the state.
Earlier, Suleiman Muritala Babatunde, Ondo State House of Assembly member representing Akoko South East, expressed gratitude for the palliatives.
The Chief Imam of Akoko South East Local Government Area, Saliu Jamiu, appreciated Governor Akeredolu for the timely distribution of the palliatives.
On his part, Pastor Gideon Onibato, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Akoko South East Local Government Area, the people had been expecting the government to begin the distribution of the palliatives.
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