Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
In order to cushion the economic hardship heralded by the removal of fuel subsidy, the federal government has given Delta State Government 19,500 bags of 50 kilograms of maize and 4,700 bags of 25 kilograms of garri.
The donation is said to be part of the renewed hope of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
Secretary to State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu who received the food items on behalf of the State Government, appreciated President Tinubu for the bold step and promised to deliver them to the vulnerable groups.
Dr Emu who said the items were not enough to take care of the identified beneficiaries, disclosed that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has taken proactive steps to reduce the plight of Deltans since fuel subsidy was removed by Mr President on May 29, 2023.
He said over N5.6 billion was paid to clear promotion arrears owed civil servants, over 2,000 teaching and non teaching staff were employed in schools, capacity development was organized for different cadres of workers in the state civil service, N1 billion for artisans and many other proactive steps.
”We thank the President for this generous gesture even though is insufficient to Nigerians, shows that he is compassionate. It is a short term measure and we are convinced that we have medium to long term interventions.
”So, on behalf of the governor of Delta state, Rt Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori we like to welcome you to our state.
“As a state, we have done very many interventions that have touched the lives of our people because that’s what His Excellency is on oath to do as a social contract to the people.
”We paid in excess of N5.65 Billion to our esteemed civil servants as promotion arrears and recruited over 2,000 workers in our local government Areas.
”We are also looking at short courses for our artisans like barbers, bricklayers, plumbers; these are all drawn from the 25 Local Government Areas.
“This is to strengthen them with their working capitals because we do know that we have a hostile operating environment in the country.”
In the area of development, the SSG said the present administration has constructed roads and bridges in upland and riverine communities, created wealth to tackle the all time inflation and naira devaluation, pointing out that steps taken to combat insecurity has made Delta the safest state in the country.
On the sharing of the palliative, Dr Emu who is the chairman of the palliative committee, assured that the food items would get to the benefiting individuals and groups.
”We have zero tolerance for manipulation.
“In one particular local government where a Councillor decided to work on his own, he was penalized.
“He was brought before the governor and was made to pay back those bags of rice, even though he shared them.
”We as a committee have zero tolerance for manipulation.
“So we want to assure you that we will do our very best.
“Tell the DG when you go back that you saw a good template in Delta State, if possible, you can come and copy it.”
The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar represented by Mr. Brandon Ibarakumor who presented the food items said it was a way to cushion the plight of Deltans and charged the committee to ensure it gets to the beneficiaries across the 25 local government areas of the state.
Mrs. Umar said the food commodities were sent to the state based on the president’s directive that food items be distributed across the country from the National Strategic Reserve under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
The food items are expected to be distributed to beneficiaries from all the electoral wards in the 25 local government areas of the state.