With the recent announcement of the receipt of N2 billion out of the reported N5billion relief funds from the Federal Government, the Kwara State government has raised transparency bar in governance.
Beyond, the announcement, the state government also gave details of how the fund meant for the purchase of rice to be distributed to vulnerable members of the public in the state, would be utilised, while awaiting the balance of N2billion from the Federal Government and N1billion worth of maize (about 40,000 bags), which the Central Bank of Nigeria is selling to each state from the national strategic reserve.
Aside being the first Nigerian governor to disclose receipt of the palliative fund, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara State, further embraced transparency rope by ordering the immediate purchase of rice in the amount and also setting up a committee headed by Ebun Oluwarotimi Adelesi, Kwara State Police Commissioner, who will be supported by Haliru Yahya, Emir of Shonga, state chairman of Jama’átu Nasrul Islam, chairman of the state Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), among others.
Commenting on the development, Mutiu Adeyanju, a senior lawyer and member of the civil society organisation, noted that while the palliative may not get to all the vulnerable people in the state, the fact that the governor has disclosed the receipt of the fund points to the level of transparency he is running the state.
“I am not a fan of politicians, but this fund is meant for the most vulnerable in society and the governors do not belong to this class. By utilising it appropriately, Governor AbdulRazaq is showing example to other governors and most importantly compassion, who voted him into office. For me, this is governance with a human face,” Adeyanju said.
While other governors are yet to publicly confirm the receipt of the palliative fund, some concerned citizens fear that some will not because of their lack of transparency and feelings for the downtrodden in their states.
Others also fear that governors in some states where the INEC would be conducting off-season elections may likely not disclose the receipt of the fund due to plans to use it to execute the election.
In line with the above fear, some interests in Kogi State are calling on the Federal Government not to send the funds to the state now due to the fear that the outgoing governor might corner it for the November gubernatorial election in the state.
An influential Kogi indigene, who pleaded for anonymity, frowned at the lack of transparency in the disbursement of the relief fund for victims of flood in the state.
“Huge funds came from NEMA, Ecological Fund Office, corporate Nigerians, international donors and other world bodies, but many of the victims are yet to find their bearing as what was given to them could not lift their lives,” the concerned indigene said.
Juma Adole, a Kabba-born investment relations manager in a Lagos blue-chip company, also fears that the governor will not utilise the palliative fund appropriately considering that he has barely three months in office.
“I support those that are calling on the Federal Government to withhold Kogi palliative funds until the governorship election is over, else it will be finally settlement for the governor. People who did not die during Covid-19 and Naira redesign will not die within these three months,” he declared.
Emeka Ulunta, an assistant director in the Federal Civil Service, Abuja, also shares the same sentiment that his state should insist on deferring the disbursement of the palliative under Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo State.
“We cannot really say what the bailout did for Imo people, and now we are talking about palliatives. The Federal Government, which is dolling out the fund, should also share it. I think that the government can partner states in identifying the most vulnerable across the states and then use their various agencies to disburse the palliatives. The governors are still sitting on local government money, they will also sit on palliative funds and that is why many of them are not disclosing the receipt,” Ulunta said.
Speaking further, Adole noted that the people should call out their governors to emulate the Kwara State governor.
“Imagine giving cash support of N10,000 for every public sector worker in the state since July and now being the first to declare largesse from the FG. That governor is transparent to say the least. Let other governors do the same and let the EFCC monitor the governors because they have money belonging to the poor in their midst and should not use it to buy private jets or for vote buying,” he said.
On his part, Chijioke Umelahi, a former Abia lawmaker, fears that some governors, who have already bought buses, food items and other relief materials may use the palliative fund to cover their earlier expenses.
Read also: FG says ₦5b palliative loan to states optional
“There is an urgent need to monitor the fund to ensure that it is appropriately used because most of the new governors met empty treasury in their states and cannot talk because that is part of the agreement with the former governors. The people should put pressure on their governors to talk and act otherwise the fund will end up in people’s pockets like the bailout money,” the lawyer said.
Apart from the Kwara State governor, Umo Eno, governor of Akwa Ibom State, has said confirmed the receipt of three thousand bags of rice from the Federal Government as palliatives to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on the people.
He has also inaugurated an 18-man committee to oversee the distribution of palliatives.
But the people expect more governors to open up on the issue of the fund as the masses are truly suffering untold hardship since the removal of the subsidy.
However, 48 percent ( about N1, 920,000,000.00) of the N4 billion palliative fund is a non-interest loan that will be paid back over a period of 20 months at N120, 000,000.00 monthly. The deduction begins in November.
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