Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has warned political appointees to steer clear of the food palliatives distributed to alleviate the suffering of the downtrodden in the state.
Governor Ododo gave the warning on Tuesday during the flagg-off ceremony of the first quarter 2024 food palliatives distribution in held in Lokoja.
The governor who emphasized the need for the people of the grassroots to benefit from the rice palliative, vowed to sanction any political appointees that may wish to divert or hoard the bags of rice.
“This palliative is to alleviate the current hardship people are passing through and it should reach the poorest of the poor at the grassroot. This intervention is meant for the people and modalities for distributions are water-tight and we have put a mechanism to apprehend and sanction those who may wish to divert the palliative.
“Government appointees are exempted from the palliative. The palliative is not for APC alone , it will not be distributed along party, ethnic or religious lines rather it is meant for the good people of Kogi State.
“I will not condone any act of indiscipline as I will personally monitor the distribution of the rice to ensure that the palliative reaches the downtrodden that gave the mandate to serve them” the governor stated.
In her remarks, the state commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Hajia Rabiatu Okute , said the distribution of the palliative in Kogi was aimed at alleviating the suffering of citizens as a result of removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government.
She stated that the palliative which is the first and will be on quarterly basis will push hunger to the zero level in the state.
“This palliative is part of the electioneering campaign promises and I am assuring the people that more dividend of democracy will be delivered by Governor Ododo led administration” she said.
Also in his goodwill message, the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Gabriel Amari thanks the Governor for the palliative and assured that the Congress will ensure that the bags of rice will reach every workers in the state.
