AWKA/Nigeria: In a resounding call to action, the Rural Community Development Outreach (RCDO), a prominent pressure group, has implored state governors to stand firm against any potential bid by influential figures within their regions to seize control of the N5 billion subsidy palliative. The appeal was conveyed through an official statement endorsed by the group’s Nigerian Coordinator, Mr. Ikenna Ezenekwe, and the Secretary, Mr. Danjuma Mohammed. The statement, disclosed on Wednesday in Awka, has captured the attention of the media landscape.
The catalyst for this plea stems from an announcement by President Bola Tinubu, which outlined the distribution of N5 billion to states aimed at ameliorating the repercussions of petroleum subsidy removal. According to the statement released by the RCDO, should this concerted effort to divert the funds come to fruition, it is the ordinary citizens and rural communities of the affected states that will bear the brunt of the fallout. With an alarming number of over 133 million Nigerians already grappling with poverty, the group contends that the nation cannot afford to entertain the interruptions of self-serving politicians that could potentially derail the trajectory towards comprehensive development.
“The N5 billion palliative, a pivotal facet of President Tinubu’s intervention strategy designed to mitigate the consequences of oil subsidy elimination, has now been rendered a pawn in the hands of political power-brokers,” the statement asserts. Revelations from intelligence sources have shed light on a disconcerting pattern wherein seasoned political players leverage their clout to coerce state governors into relinquishing control of these vital funds.
Noteworthy strides have been initiated by certain states, including Anambra, Bauchi, Borno, and Adamawa, which have unveiled strategies to rescue their constituents by strategically directing their allocated N5 billion towards agricultural incentives and critical infrastructural enhancements. In light of these developments, the RCDO places a specific call of action on the shoulders of state governors, particularly directing attention to Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra. These governors, who are already under the radar of such machinations, are summoned to resist these manipulative forces and fervently work towards safeguarding the interests of their people, the statement affirms.
The pressure group resolutely beseeches Nigerian governors to remain steadfast in their resolve, unwaveringly thwarting any endeavor by political power-brokers within their jurisdictions to confiscate resources that rightfully belong to the masses. In an era marked by transformative change and the pursuit of equitable progress, the call to protect the welfare of the people resounds louder than ever.
