Don’t mismanage the N5bn palliative, Imolehin warns Governors
… Congratulates Tinubu on ministerial appointments
By Lanre Oloyede
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the immediate-past Senior Special Adviser on Environment and Waste Management to the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Arc. Tunde Imolehin, has warned State governors not to mismanage the N5bn subsidy palliative fund released to them by the Federal Government.
Nigerian Pilot had reported that the Federal Government on Thursday approved N5 billion for each of the 36 states of the federation for procurement of food items as part of moves to alleviate the sufferings associated with fuel subsidy removal.
Recall that President Tinubu had on his inauguration day announced immediate enforcement of subsidy removal regime, a policy which had resulted in immediate rise in inflation occasioned by hike in pump price of fuel resulting in hardship and high cost of living to citizens.
Reacting to the new development, the APC stalwart, asked the state governors to ensure the money is properly disbursed to the various Local Government Areas which are closer to the people at the grassroots who need this relief.
The Ipele, Ondo State-born politician urged the State Chief Executives to ensure the fund have direct impact on their citizens by relieving them of the burden of fuel subsidy removal and food inflation they are currently battling with.
Architect Imolehin advised Nigerians in various states of the federation to beam their searchlight on how their governors disburse and utilize the fund in order to hold them accountable.
He said it would be wrong for citizens to hold the central government alone accountable for the palliatives without holding the subnational governments to account.
“Enough is enough. Subsidy is gone. The sub-nationals have to take responsibility. And the people must “follow the money”. Our economy is fragile. The Tinubu government must succeed and the key thing is to ensure proper and efficient ways of managing scarce resources. The governors have to be prudent and ensure that the palliatives get to the grassroots. We can no longer bear all the stories that touch the heart on how monies meant for the people are spent”, the renowned Environmentalist and Sustainability Expert said.
He congratulated President Tinubu on the assemblage of tested patriots as Ministers of the Federal Republic.
“I am glad with the list and the thoughts that went into the allocation of portfolios. These patriots should hit the ground running. The Tinubu government has its job well cut out”, Imolehin said.
