ASABA/Nigeria: In a proactive move to alleviate the hardships faced by its citizens following the removal of the petrol subsidy, the Delta State Government has announced the commencement of a comprehensive set of palliative measures.
Dr. Kingsley Emu, the Secretary to the State Government, revealed these initiatives in a statement issued on Sunday.
Under the leadership of Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, the Delta State Government has initiated a series of actions aimed at improving the lives of its citizens. Among the key measures is the disbursement of N10,000 and the settlement of promotion arrears totaling over N5 billion to civil servants, effective August 2023.
Dr. Emu also disclosed that the State Government is nearing the finalization of plans for the production of Tricycles (Keke) that are compatible with both fuel and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). Once completed, these tricycles will be distributed across the three senatorial districts, aiming to reduce transportation costs for the people.
Additionally, the government is actively engaged in the recruitment of primary school teachers and non-teaching staff in 23 out of the 25 local government areas in the state. Dr. Emu emphasized that this initiative not only creates employment opportunities but also reduces dependency and enhances the quality of education for the state’s pupils.
To ensure the effective distribution of these palliative measures, the State Subsidy Palliative Committee, chaired by Dr. Kingsley Emu, has been established. Sub-committees will also be set up at the local government and ward levels to oversee the distribution process. These ward-based committees will consist of various stakeholders, including ward coordinators, councilors, representatives of traditional institutions, community leaders, religious representatives, orphanages, and trusted opinion leaders.
Moreover, the Local Government Monitoring Team will include House of Assembly members, Commissioners, local council chairmen, traditional rulers, representatives of religious bodies, women’s organizations, youth councils, non-governmental organizations, and local government employees. The team will be chaired by a respected non-partisan leader from the respective local government areas.
Members of the State Subsidy Palliative Committee include the Principal Secretary to the Governor, Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Social and Girl Child Development, Senior Policy Adviser, Special Adviser on Transport, Special Adviser on Community Development, Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Agriculture, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and members of the Secretariat led by Eloho Ogbaudu.
With these initiatives in motion, the Delta State Government is taking decisive steps to mitigate the impact of the petrol subsidy removal on its citizens and promote socio-economic development across the state.
