Osun State Government on Wednesday disclosed that it is still expecting the N5bn federal government pledged to make available to the state to cushion the effect of subsidy removal.

This is as the committee set up for the distribution of the rice components of the palliative disclosed that it has decided to wait for the second batch before distributing the rice to the vulnerable members of the society.

The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi while addressing newsmen on Wednesday at the Governor’s office in Osogbo, disclosed that the state government has received the 3,000 bags of 50kg rice for the first batch but is yet to receive N5bn promised by the federal government.

“Yes, we have received all the 3,000 bags of 50kg rice from the federal government, but we have not received any amount from the N5bn it pledged to the state. I am not speaking for any state, but here in Osun, we are still expecting it and when we get it the whole world will know.

“We are still waiting for another consignment of 14,000 bags as well as 3,200MT of maize. Governor Ademola Adeleke is running an open administration, when we get it, we will definitely make public”, he said.

Also, a member of the committee on distribution, Sheikh Mustapha Olawuyi said it has decided to wait for the second batch of 14,000 bags of rice before it will distribute it to the populace.

“The State Governor, Ademola Adeleke handed over the delivered goods to us. We have drawn a template for the distribution but decided that the second batch arrived before we embark on its distribution”, he said.