– Unveils Modalities For Distributing First Phase
– As Imolites Complain About Making PVC A Pre-Requisite
The Imo State government has belatedly decided to distribute palliatives to citizens of the state, when other states have distributed theirs long ago.Sadly,is said that the governor through his Commissioner for Information and Strategy,Declan Emelumba will only distribute the palliatives to journalists who only write favourable reports for Imo government.
A Government House source who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said, “the Hope Uzodinma administration did not want to distribute the palliatives initially but has suddenly decided to do so at this particular time, to enable it score cheap political mileage, ahead of the November,11, governorship election in the state.
It is on record that Imo is one of the few states in the country that are yet to distribute the palliatives which were sourced from funds made available to the states by the federal government to ease the debilitating effect of the removal of oil subsidy on the people”.
“Even at that, the entire process is being used as a political weapon and inducement for support”.
“There are also reports that despite the orchestrated modalities rolled out as templates for the distribution of the palliatives, some groups are either favoured or excluded from the sharing process based on their political allegiance. For instance, it is only records the journalists and other media practitioners who are loyal and willing to unquestionably be used as pawns by the state government that are recognized and included in the list of beneficiaries”.
Recall that the Imo State government recently set up a committee to ensure the equitable distribution of palliatives to individuals and groups through their professional and other umbrella associations, as contained in a public notice it issued.
However, some Imolites who were told to come for the palliatives with their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), expressed dismay over such request which was not mentioned or included as a condition for collecting the palliative in the template. They wondered what the PVC has to do with the collection of palliative which is meant to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy on the citizenry.
The template unveiled by the Imo State government for the distribution of the palliatives which consists of 65,000 bags of rice read thus, “The civil servants will receive their rice at the State Secretariat and have to pass through their nominal roll of their various Ministries to sign for the rice.
The secondary school teachers will be coordinated through the Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB). Every secondary school teacher who is teaching will receive his or her own rice.
The primary school teachers will receive theirs from the Imo State Universal Basic Education Board(IMSUBEB). The IMSUBEB with their nominal roll will ensure that every primary school teacher gets their rice.
The traders in the markets will receive their rice through their associations and these associations and their leadership will ensure that all the known traders in our markets will receive their own.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) under the leadership of the State Chairman will receive their rice to ensure it gets to their churches.
The Traditional Rulers will receive their rice through their Council, chaired by the State Chairman, Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers.
The town unions will receive their own through the president generals and their secretaries.
The government liaison officers (GLOs) will receive theirs through their coordinators.
The Federal Government parastatals in Imo State namely – the News Agency of Nigeria, NTA, Radio Nigeria, INEC office in Owerri, and Nigerian Labour Congress through their leadership.
Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Imo State, through their leadership.
Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ) through their leadership.
The Government House Press Crew.
The Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers and Nigeria Union of Teachers. They will all receive theirs through their leadership.
The personnel of the army, airforce, navy, police, civil defence, correctional services, FRSC, NDLEA, Immigration, DSS, and Customs, through their leadership.
Hausa community through their Sariki and leadership.
Yoruba community through their leadership.
Other groups and Special Citizens through their leadership.
Local Government Officers through their various local government areas.
Sole administrators and their aides, and the development centres.
National Council of Women Society.
Red Cross.
Destitute Homes
Orphanages in Imo State.
Imo Broadcasting Corporation.
Education Development Centre.
Heartland Football Club.
Imo State Sports Commission and the players – both men and women.
Imo State Legislature through the Speaker’s office and principal officers.
PASAN, Legislative staff workers.
Appointees of the Government through the Secretary to the Government of Imo State.
The informal sector.
Every polling unit will receive 10 bags of rice. (Sharing not based on any political party affiliation). Belongs to everybody registered in that polling unit.
NOTE: The government will take seriously any report of political partisanship.
Hospitals – Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Specialist Hospital, the Nursing Schools in Orlu, Aboh Mbaise, Amaigbo, Emekuku, Umulolo, Awommama.
State Universities and Tertiary Institutions.
K.O Mbadiwe University, Imo State University, University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, College of Education, Ihitte Uboma, Imo State Polytechnic, Omuma, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Alvan Ikoku University College of Education, Federal College of Land Resources, Federal University Teaching Hospital.
Judiciary Worker’s
Appeal Court, Owerri.
Federal High Court, Owerri, Industrial Court, Owerri, Imo State High Court, Customary Court of Appeal, Customary Court, Magistrate Court and judicial workers.
