Subsidy removal: Edo yet to receive N5bn palliative

.Over 1.5m people in Edo benefit from free bus ride scheme

From Chris Tony Akhabue

The Edo State government, yesterday, said the state is yet to get the N5 billion palliatives given to each state by the federal government to cushion the adverse effects of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu during his inaugural speech to the nation said “Fuel Subsidy is gone”

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare disclosed this while addressing Journalists on how the state government has  waded in, in making life meaningful to its citizens by providing  free transportation for its citizens in the state.

He said the state government has been trying to find out if the N2 billion received from the federal government is part of the palliatives promised by the federal government to states or  the money owed states but answers were not forthcoming from the federal government.

“I am still seeking for clarification from the federal government if they are supporting us.

“I think you are aware that by the time the first set of FAAC was shared few months ago, the federal government did say that they are holding onto some states allocations.

“I am sure you are aware of that? Now, the federal government has not told us that if the N5 billion they promised the state is part of the money they held back or if it is from their own 52 percent of the FAC.

“I hope you know that there is a sharing formula, state takes 48 percent and the federal government 52 percent .

” If somebody is giving me from my allocations and I don’t think that, that person is doing me a favour but if he is taking from his 52 percent to give us N5 billion for each states, then we will tell the federal government thank you.

“But I have asked this question severally and I have not gotten response from the federal government if this N5 billion is what is constitutionally assigned to me (state government) or if it is from their own 52 percent.

“What we are doing, is, and we continually do, is to make life better for Edo people and one of the things we have done, is to make sure that our people get free ride”, Nehikhare said.

The Commissioner, while reeling out the successes of the free ride in the state as part of the state government’s palliatives, said since the exercise was flagged off, September 11, 2023 over one  million passengers  have benefitted from the free rides within the city while about 33,000  persons have also boarded the vehicles to other part of the states.

He added that the state is re-validating its own data to ensure that palliatives get to the poorest of the poor, stressing that it will be devoid of politics.