Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has flagged off the distribution of 300,000 bags of 10kg rice as palliatives to residents of the state.

The event, which kicked off on Friday, was in line with the promise made by the governor to ensure the immediate distribution of the palliatives.

The governor acknowledged that the palliatives were sent to states by the Federal Government, but domesticated by the state government.

“Our desire in the first instance is to distribute about 300,000 bags of 10kg rice across the 5,400 polling units.
“We have decided to use the polling units as a reference of distribution, not wards because we realised that using wards won’t be equitable.
“You can imagine taking a ward in Sagamu, for example, Ogijo Ward, and comparing it with a ward in Ikenne. If we use the ward as the yardstick for distributing the palliatives, it would be very unfair. This is because a ward in Ogijo has far more polling units than a ward in Ikenne or Remo North. So, we decided that we will use the polling units as points of reference,” he said.

Abiodun noted that a committee made up of men and women of distinguished character has been set up to oversee the distribution of the palliatives.

He said that the committee, chaired by his deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, would ensure that the distribution is effectively implemented, while the 20 local councils will have similar committees.

“The committee will be chaired by the deputy governor and she will be supported by former deputy governors, two members of the National Assembly, one from the House of Representatives, and the other from the Senate.
“Other members include the deputy speaker, the minority leader, Iyalojas, representatives of CDCs, CDAs, youth, inter-ethnic groups, community leaders, and other eminent personalities that we believe will ensure that the palliative distribution is effectively, efficiently, and transparently implemented,” he said.

Abiodun, while commending President Bola Tinubu for conceptualising the programme to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal, said that his administration has classified the various interventions of the president, which his administration has domesticated into immediate, medium, and long terms.

“We started as you recall by paying N10,000 transportation allowances to all our public servants, including pensioners and teachers.

“We also decided that not more than 80 per cent of our workforce should come to the office at any point in time.”
Earlier in their separate remarks, the representatives of the Community Development Associations (CDAs), Usman Olamilekan, and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Comrade Bola Lawal, commended Abiodun for his open-door policy.

Also, the Iyaloja General of Ogun State, who is a member of the committee, Alhaja Yemisi Abass, commended the governor for providing more rice to complement the ones sent by the Federal Government.
He thanked the governor for picking members of the committee from all parts of the state.

In an interview, Mrs. Ileyemi Olayinka representing people with special needs, and Comrade Segun Obadimu, representing the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, appreciated Abiodun for the palliative.