VAM News Update

THE Ondo State government on Thursday rolled out palliatives to cushion the high cost of living and transportation brought about by the removal of fuel subsidy, to assuage the sufferings of the residents of the state.

The state Commissioner for Finance who doubles as the Chairman Palliative Strategy and Implementation Committee, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, disclosed this in Akure, the state capital.

He said the budget for the palliative is N7 billion from Federal Government palliative relief for every state as infrastructure support fund to cushion these effects and said the state government has concluded plans to roll out palliatives for civil servants spread across the state.

Akinterinwa said the steps taken by the state government became necessary based on the current economic realities following the removal of subsidy on petroleum, saying the measures would go a long way towards ameliorating the negative effects that the removal of the petrol subsidy has had on workers and the entire citizens of the state.

He said the state government has had a round-table dialogue with labour leaders, market associations, and other critical stakeholders to work out modalities for the distribution of the palliative.

The Finance Commissioner listed some of the critical sectors to be touched which include; transport, agriculture, health, Small and Medium Enterprises, public servants and social intervention.

According to him, “the government will restore free shuttle buses for students starting from resumption in September till December 31st. Thereafter, affordable rates will be charged from January 2024.

“In like manner, free shuttle boats equipped with life jackets for students in riverine areas starting at resumption in September, till December 31st. Thereafter, affordable rates will be charged from January 2024.

“We will immediately deploy all existing buses in all MDA’S to serve as free shuttle buses to public servants till December 31st. Additional CNG buses will be purchased to convey public servants to and from work at no cost to them, till December 31st.”

On Social Intervention, Akinterinwa said some selected vulnerable persons across the 18 local government areas will be given N10,000 for three months, while pensioners will also receive N10,000 each starting from August till December 2023.

He said, “free food packages will be distributed to 1 million households across the 18 local governments of the state.

“Farm inputs at subsidized rates will be made available to farmers. Our poultry and fish farmers will be given free drugs, maize, and feeds for their birds and fishes. In addition, training on local feed formulation and production will be given to them, to help them look inwards.

“Agrochemicals, seeds, drip lines, farm tools and power tillers will be given at subsidized rates. In riverine areas, free fishing nets and subsidized kilns will be made available.

“To ease the movement of farm produce, tricycles will be given free to farming communities. This will be supervised by officially recognized, community-based stakeholder groups”

He stated further that “the state government has authorized immediate suspension of haulage fee collection on all non-graded agricultural produce. These are produce that are consumed locally and not for export.

“We also announce the immediate suspension of hospital registration and consultation fees. Government will reimburse the hospitals directly based on existing data”

Speaking on the palliative for public servants, he said “In addition to the provision of free shuttle buses earlier mentioned, there will be immediate payment of 2020 leave bonus to public servants. It should be noted that the state government has already paid leave bonuses for 2021, 2022 and 2023.

“On Small and Medium Enterprises, various categories of small and medium enterprises will benefit from subsidy removal palliative

“Students who are engaged in nano businesses on campus are not excluded. They will also get financial support.

“The money to nano, small, medium enterprises will be disbursed through existing government channels.

“Students who run nano businesses on campus are not left out. They will also get monetary support”