TheNewsGuru

Tag: Palliative

  • Fuel subsidy palliatives yet to be concluded with govs – FG

    Fuel subsidy palliatives yet to be concluded with govs – FG

    The Federal Government has said efforts to set up palliative measures, ahead of the June 2023 deadline for the discontinuation of the petrol subsidy, are yet to be concluded with states.

    It, however, said concerned committees would soon conclude discussions with key stakeholders as the administration winds down.

    The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, revealed this on Wednesday to State House Correspondents shortly after this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting, which was presided over by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari.

    A committee led by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and the National Economic Council, composed of state governors, had been working to resolve the issue for over 12 months, he said.

    According to him, during the period the committee has yet to harmonize its templates.

    “So, the stage that we are in now is how to finalise the suggestions that have come out from both the Federal Government and the governors.

    “Like you know, it is something that is going to affect the entire nation. They just have to ensure that everyone is carried along, that is both the federal and sub-national governments,” he added.

    The minister argued that while the Osinbajo-led committee has no definite timeline to conclude its assignment, discussions were ongoing.

    Agba explained that the delay was necessary because the situation had far-reaching consequences for the nation.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, revealed that the government had postponed the 2023 population and housing census earlier scheduled for March 29.

    Mohammed said the postponement became necessary as the Independent National Electoral Commission last Wednesday rescheduled the governorship elections to March 18.

    He also revealed that the council approved N2.8bn for the National Population Commission to procure software to be deployed for the census.

    “There was a memo presented by the National Population Commission, seeking some software to allow them to conduct the census in May this year.

    “I believe because of the rescheduling of the elections, they cannot commence the census as planned.

    “They sought council’s approval for a contract to procure software for the census at the sum of N2.8bn,” the minister revealed.

    He also disclosed that the FEC approved N15bn for the construction of an access road linking the Benin-Asaba Expressway to the Second Niger Bridge.

    The completion of the road will enable the regime to inaugurate the bridge before it Buhari leaves office on May 29.

    “The minister of works presented a memo seeking approval for the award of contract for the construction of an access road from the existing Benin-Asaba Expressway to approach the link road to 2nd Niger Bridge in Delta State.

    “As you are aware, the government is determined to commission the 2nd Niger Bridge before the expiration of this administration.”

    We can tell you that the bridge itself is substantially concluded but the contract that was awarded today, although the work has started before now, is actually to connect the Asaba-Benin end to the new bridge.

    “The contract was awarded to Julius Berger at a sum of N15bn. They have started the work but they said it is only proper that they have a contract. We can assure you that the road will be finished in good time for us to commission the 2nd Niger-Bridge,” he said.

    Mohammed also disclosed that the council approved the sum of N16bn as augmentation for the dualisation of Suleja-Minna Road in Niger State.

  • Palliative looters were pushed by hunger- Iretiola Doyle

    Palliative looters were pushed by hunger- Iretiola Doyle

    Actress, Iretiola Doyle has opened up on the recent lootings taking place in several states in Nigeria.

    The renowned role interpreter shared her opinion on the raging issue via her Twitter handle saying the looters did it because they were starving.

    She said: “I know we are renowned for loving awoof, but greed wasn’t the reason for the stampede on palliatives, it was hunger. Acute hunger. That is something your leaders will never live down.”

    TheNewsGuru recall that Nigerians had taken to different warehouses in the country to loot the Covid-19 palliatives in warehouses in various states ahead of the official distribution.

    Following the looting across the country, some states including Ekiti State had called on people who looted the state warehouse to return the things they took stating that most of it is not consumables but fertilizers that can be harmful to them.

     

  • No lawmaker collected N20m palliative from NDDC – Senate

    No lawmaker collected N20m palliative from NDDC – Senate

    The Senate said on Tuesday that none of its members received N20m COVID-19 palliative from the Niger Delta Development Commission.

    The Director of Projects, Interim Management Committee of the NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had alleged in a recent newspaper interview that the agency gave N20m to each senator while each of the House of Representatives member collected N15m as palliative.

    But the Spokesperson for the Senate, Dr. Ajibola Basiru, denied Ojougboh’s claims in a statement titled, “NDDC boss says senators got N20m, reps N15m each for COVID–19 – a disclaimer,” on Tuesday.

    Basiru challenged Ojougboh to either release the full list of the lawmakers who benefitted from the palliative or tender a public apology immediately.

    The statement read in part, “The Senate views with grave concern a statement credited to Dr Cairo Ojougboh, the Executive Director, Projects of the NDDC who alleged that National Assembly members received varying sums of money as COVID-19 palliative.

    “The Senate hereby disclaims the allegation in its entirety.

  • COVID-19: FG approves N10bn palliative for transport operators

    COVID-19: FG approves N10bn palliative for transport operators

    The Federal Government has approved N10billion as a palliative for transport workers and operators.

    According to the Minister of State for Transportation, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki, the fund will help cushion the sufferings encountered by road transport workers and operators as a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    She also noted that the fund is currently domiciled with the Federal Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Investment adding that her ministry was currently working on the modalities for its disbursement.

    The Minister disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the President of Public Transport Owners of Nigeria Association (PTONA), Engr. Isaac Uhunwagho, and the association’s National Executive Committee and Trustees in Abuja.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the Director of the Press of the ministry, Eric Ojiekwe.

    Saraki, while stating that 90 percent of Nigerians travel by road, said that the federal government will soon initiate a master plan that will reform the sector.

    On the challenges operators face from State governments and other stakeholders, she assured that she will discuss the issues through the National Transport Commissioners Forum.

    The Minister also revealed that she is in talks with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on the concessions of some routes with the aim of increasing the government’s revenue.

    She further urged them to avoid duplicity and formalize their structures in an organized manner for better engagements, with the ministry and other relevant agencies.

    Earlier, Engr. Uhunwagho pleaded for COVID-19 financial palliatives for its members to prevent their businesses from folding up.

    He explained that members of the association were the worst hit during the lockdown introduced by the federal government.

    According to the President of PTONA, members of the association felt the impact of the lockdown the most as their branded buses could not operate due to the ban on interstate travel.

    He also lamented that despite PTONA members being the major investors in the transportation sector, it is ironic that their companies are the prime target for state and local government authorities who impose taxes, levies, and other ridiculous conditions on their members.

  • COVID-19: Delta community raises N20m to provide palliatives to residents

    COVID-19: Delta community raises N20m to provide palliatives to residents

    The Issele-Uku Development Union in Aniocha North Council area of Delta, says it has distributed foodstuffs worth over N20 million as palliatives to the people of the community to cushion the hardship of COVID-19 lockdown.

    Mr Uche Odiaka, the Coordinator of the Union’s Palliative Committee, told newsmen on Friday in Issele-Uku that prominent sons and daughters of the community came together to provide the fund to support their people.

    Odiaka said that the committee distributed bags of rice and beans to every household in the community.

    “Well-meaning and wealthy individuals from Issele-Uku deemed it fit to help alleviate the sufferings of our people during this period of COVID-19 lockdown.

    “As a committee, we intend to ensure that the food palliatives get to every family in Issele-Uku community.

    “We also mobilised to educate our people on the need to obey government’s directives towards curtailing the spread of COVID-19.

    “We have been going round to educate our people on the need to observe the physical distancing, regular hand-washing and wearing of facemasks,” he said.

    He disclosed that besides the donation of the palliatives, the Union had contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of Issele-Uku.

    According to him, the recent restoration of electric power and the dredging of Iyinta River to curb flooding were some of the areas of the Union’s intervention.

    Odiaka further revealed that the Union had initiated plans to restore public water supply to Issele-Uku which had eluded the community over the years.

    He enjoined the people of the community to be law-abiding and support Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration for the overall development of the state.

  • Stampede kills 62-yr-old woman in Rivers as residents wrestle for Wike’s food palliative

    Stampede kills 62-yr-old woman in Rivers as residents wrestle for Wike’s food palliative

    A 62-year-old woman identified as Florence Onuobodo has died at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital after her involvement in a stampede that occurred in Elele, the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The woman was said to have been seriously hurt, while several others were injured as residents jostle for food during Saturday’s sharing of the state government palliatives to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Sources said the stampede happened outside the Vintage Farm, where the palliatives were shared.

    It was gathered that four women involved in the incident were rushed to the Elele Health Centre, while Onuobodo, whose condition appeared to be critical, was referred to the University of Port Harcourt, where she later died.

    One of the leaders in the area, Eze Okechukwu Okah, explained that the stampede would not have occurred if the process was well managed.

    “We know that our people are hungry because of the lockdown, but the governor has a good intention and a good mind to ensure that people who are on lockdown will feed.

    “But why should there be stampede? It is just that somebody is taking it (sharing of palliatives) personal; taking it to his house and selecting people that he wants to give. If everybody had been allowed to enter the compound and allowed to observe social distance, I don’t think such stampede would occur.

    “The person wanted elected people who would be loyal to him. Did the governor give out the palliatives for people who would be loyal to him? The governor did not think about PDP or APC or any other party; he did it so that everybody will benefit from that.

    “If the person had made up his mind to give to everybody equally, there would not have been stampede. During my own palliative, I brought out money to buy food and also gave women N5,000 each to help them,” Okah said.

    However, the Jacob Amadi, Councillor representing Ward 4, Elele and head of the palliative committee, explained that contrary to the claim in some quarters, the incident happened outside the venue of the palliative sharing.

    Amadi, who noted that over four women got trapped in the stamped, including a 91-year-old woman, and were all rushed to the hospital for attention where they were given attention, regretted that Florence lost her life at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital where she was referred to. He said: “We chose Vintage Farm to share the palliative because of how spacious it is. It is bad when somebody says the stamped happened at the gate while women were dragging to enter the compound.

    “The true story is that there was some quarrel among the women outside the gate. I was inside the compound attention to people. “We were bringing them in in 20s and it was peaceful. I don’t know what transpired there I only got information that there was stamped by the road, not even by the gate.”

    The State Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, has also confirmed the incident to newsmen.

  • We didn’t reject FG’s palliative rice – Ekiti govt

    We didn’t reject FG’s palliative rice – Ekiti govt

    The Ekiti government on Monday said it did not return 1800 bags of rice donated to the state by the Federal Government as palliative to mitigate the effects of the lockdown aimed at curtailing the spread of the COVID-19.

    Prof. Bolaji Aluko, the Coordinator of the COVID-19 19 Task Force and Director General, Office of Strategic Transformation and Delivery in Ekiti, made the clarification in Ado-Ekiti.

    ” We have not rejected or returned any rice to the Federal Government,” Aluko said while dismissing speculations that some of the bags of rice were returned because they were expired.

    Aluko was giving the daily update on the efforts by the taskforce to curtail the spread of the pandemic in the state.

    He also said government had begun the tracking of commuters who forcefully entered the state with a view to quarantining them.

    Aluko urged residents in border towns to give information that could help in apprehending those entering into the state illegally.

    ” Quarantine points have been provided in all the 16 local governments.

    ” To also demonstrate our seriousness, some pastors holding nocturnal church processions had been arrested and made to face the Magistrates’ courts,” he said.

    The Commissioner for Health, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, also said two children under the age of 10 were among the four newly discovered COVID-19 patients in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Saturday announced that it had discovered four fresh cases in Ekiti.

    ” In the four new cases, there were two children of ages 10 and nine who must have contracted it through the 45-year old doctor and only active case before the new cases.

    ” They are all in an isolation centre. They are responding, doing well , stable and in high spirits.

    ” With this new development, we have 58 contacts to trace and we have started doing that

    ” Blood samples have been taken and results are being awaited while the contacts tracing will also continue,” she said.

  • COVID-19: We also need palliatives — NURTW

    COVID-19: We also need palliatives — NURTW

    The Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) says its members are in need of palliatives from government, since 95 per cent of them are informal workers and do not earn salaries.

    Mr Kabiru Ya’u, the Acting General Secretary of the union told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

    He reiterated the union’s commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s effort to curtail the spread of the deadly Coronavorus (COVID-19) in the country.

    According to Ya’u , the union has directed all its members to observe the lockdown, except for some staff in the finance department who will provide skeletal services when needed.

    He said : “Only skeletal operations are done in some States where lockdown is not imposed. Interstate operations is mostly down.

    “The union will cooperate with government in whatever way possible to eradicate or mitigate the impact of Covid-19 nation wide.

    “We are also in need of palliatives from government, especially since 95 per cent of our members are informal workers and do not earn salaries.”

    Ya’u said that measures had been taken by the union to curtail spread of the virus and there was no reported case of coronavirus outbreak in any motor park across the country.

    He said the union was also working on contingency plans to prepare for any unknown outcome that may arise.

  • Nigerian women journalists demand palliative from FG

    The umbrella body for women journalists in Nigeria, National Association of Women Jornalists, NAWOJ are demanding for palliative to cushion the effect of the lock down in the country.

    In a press release issued on Monday, the body said the purchasing power of women in the country is too low as majority of the women live on daily income from petty trading.

    Spain records 838 deaths in 24hrs

    Last Sunday was a bleak one for Spain as the nation recorded close to a 1000 deaths in one day to Covid-19.

    A sad one indeed for Spain, our hearts in TNG bleed for the lost souls.