Abia State Government has said it was yet to receive any 20 trucks of rice as palliative from the Federal Government.
Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, told Vanguard that no such palliative had arrived the state, adding also that there was no communication from the Federal Government for any such palliative.
This is as he dismissed as fake news, reports that the Federal Government had also distributed 50kg bags of rice to states for sale at the cost of N40,000.
He said:” We didn’t see any truck of rice from the Federal Government. And the issue of selling 50kg bag of rice for N40,000 is fake news.
” We don’t deal with rumours and speculations. There has been a way the federal government communicates with us when it has to do with palliatives, and no such message has come from the federal government.”
Asked whether it was not proper for the State Government to open channels of communication with the federal government on the issue, he said it was not necessary.
“There is no point for us to be wasting our time looking for where to verify the news. If the news was authentic, we could have gotten the message as a Government straight from the federal government. No such thing happened!”
Responding to an inquiry on the efforts of the State Government to cushion the effects of the economic hardship on Abia residents, the Commissioner said the State Government “believes in teaching the people how to fish”, in addition to giving them palliatives.
” We have been doing all that. It’s a continuous process. We have shared palliatives about four times since this Government came to power. We received about twice from the federal government and we do the other ones on our own.
” Not too long ago, we shared rice to workers from grade level 0-7. Currently, the Office in charge of palliatives is compiling the list of workers from levels 8-10 for another round of palliatives. It’s a continuous thing’.
” Even in August the Governor’s wife will also reach out to indigent people in society. We are a people-focused Government. Our policies are directed towards improving the people’s welfare. Recently, the State sponsored some Abians to Nassarawa State to understudy farming.
” So, it’s not just by sharing rice. The Governor also distributed N100,000 interest-free loans to 10,000 Abians. We believe in teaching people how to fish instead of giving them fish to eat”.
Otti clears air on N570 billion FG’s disbursement to states
Meanwhile, Gov. Alex Otti has cleared the air on the N570 billion the Federal Government claimed it disbursed to states as part of measures so far taken to cushion the effects of the economic hardship following the fuel subsidy removal.
Otti who was reacting to questions during a media parley at the Government House Friday night, said the fund was actually not Federal Government’s money but a lone from World Bank channeled through the federal government.
According to the Governor, it is a misrepresentation of facts to say, that the federal government disbursed N570 billion to states.
He said:” The N570 is not a free gift; it’s actually a loan. There is something called performance for results under the NG Cares programme which has to do with COVID-19. Monies were first disbursed by state governments.
” So, the N570 billion speaks to wave three of the NG Cares. Before our adminisitration, there were Waves one and two, and Wave four is just starting.
” How it works is that you are expected to disburse funds under Conditional Cash Transfer, FADAMA, and others. When you disburse it, the World Bank will check your records, and confirm that you indeed, did those disbursements, and thereafter, a reimbursement is made through the federal government.
“So, the money does not belong to the federal government. The federal government is just a vehicle through which disbursement happens. Anyone who is creating the impression that the federal government disbursed N570 billion to the states, that person is misrepresenting the facts.
” What I have told you is the fact. So, if we got any money, it’s because we have performed well and the World Bank has certified that we performed. It’s a loan and you have to move first before the World Bank reimburses you”, Otti clarified.
On the purported 20 trucks of rice the Federal Government claimed it had distributed to states as palliative to minimize the biting hunger in the land, the Governor could not confirm that Abia got such a largesse.
He said: “There have been from time to time, some kind of palliatives but I cannot speak specifically to these 30 trucks of rice”.
The Governor further said that the state had always equitably distributed any palliative it received for the people.
” Anything that is given to Abia is received, and the sharing is done mostly to the most vulnerable in our Wards and Local Governments”.
He said that the palliatives were extended to low-cadre civil servants, arguing that palliatives should be for the poorest of the poor.
” We believe that palliative is to support you in your business, farming and trading. That’s why not too long ago, this government disbursed N1 billion interest-free revolving loan to 1000 businesses. That money is also like a palliative because if they go to bank, they will pay about 40% interest annually”.
