The Kwara State Government, on Friday, confirmed receipt of N2bn out of the N4bn relief funds that the federal government released for purchase of rice to be distributed to vulnerable persons in the state as part of measures to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
The state government also said it awaits a balance of N2bn of the funds as well as N1bn worth of maize (40,000 bags) which the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is selling to each state from the national strategic reserve.
The chief press secretary to Kwara State governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, made these disclosures at a news conference he addressed at the Government House, Ilorin on Friday.
Consequently, to ensure transparency, Ajakaye said the palliatives will be overseen exclusively by a committee headed by the Kwara State Police Commissioner, Ebun-Oluwarotimi Adelesi.
Other members of the committee include the Emir of Shonga, Dr. Haliru Yahya, state chairman of Jama’átu Nasrul Islam, chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe and Mrs Grace Funke Bolaji (both representing of civil society organisations ( CSOs); chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr Saudat Abdulbaqi, Mr. Steven Awoyale (youth), a representative of the DSS, a female representative each from the ‘disability’ community and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and a permanent secretary in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, Alh Abdulrahman Babatunde (secretary).
Similarly, the state government also confirmed receipt of the remaining three trucks of the bags of rice. The government had on August 8, 2023 announced delivery of two truckloads of bags of rice, while awaiting three more.
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