Ondo announces palliatives over petrol subsidy removal

DAMISI OJO, Akure

Consequent upon the current economic realities due to the removal of subsidy on petroleum, Ondo State government on Thursday announced palliatives measures to bring succour to the citizenry.

Addressing a news conference in Akure, the state capital, Commissioner for Finance, Wale Akinterinwa, who is also the chairman of the Palliatives Committee said government would restore free shuttle buses for students starting from resumption in September, till December 31st.

He added that affordable rates will be charged from January 2024. In like manner, free shuttle boats equipped with life jackets for students in riverine areas starting at resumption in September, till December 31st and affordable rates will be charged from January 2024.

Besides, the commissioner said the State government will immediately deploy all existing buses in all MDA’S to serve as free shuttle buses to public servants till December 31st while additional CNG BUSES will be purchased to convey of public servants, to and from work at no cost to them, till December 31st.

On social intervention, he said unconditional Cash Transfer of N10,000 for three months will be given to selected vulnerable persons in every local government.

All pensioners in the state, whether State or local government, will get N10,000 each starting this August till December 2023.,adding that free food packages will be distributed to one million households across the 18 local governments in the state.

The commissioner also disclosed that Farm inputs at subsidized rates will be made available to farmers.

He said: “Our poultry and fish farmers will be given free drugs, maize, and feeds for their birds and fishes. In addition, training on local feed formulation and production will be given to them, to help them look inwards.

“Agrochemicals, seeds, drip lines, farm tools and power tillers will be given at subsidized rates. In riverine areas, free fishing nets and subsidized kilns will be made available”.

“In order to ease the movement of farm produce, tricycles will be given free to farming communities and will be supervised by officially recognized, community-based stakeholder groups.

“The state government has authorized immediate suspension of haulage fee collection on all non-graded agricultural produce. These are produce that are consumed locally and not for export.

On health, Akinterinwa announced the immediate suspension of hospital registration and consultation fees, stressing that Government will reimburse the hospitals directly based on existing data.

Public servants In addition to the provision of free shuttle buses will be paid their leave bonus immediately, noting that the state government has already paid leave bonuses for 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Various categories of small and medium enterprises will also benefit from Subsidy Removal Palliative.

For a better society