Ekiti, group bicker over palliatives, federal allocation

The Ekiti State government and a non governmental organisation, Opeyemi Falegan Foundation have disagreed over the allocation accruing to the state and the palliatives from the Federal Government to mitigate the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.

While the ODF Founder alleged that the FG palliatives to the state were diverted and politicised just as the monthly allocations could not be accounted for, the state Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said the government was open and had nothing to hide on allocations and palliatives.

Falegan, in a statement signed on Thursday, expressed concern over the living conditions of Ekiti people, who he alleged were hungry following the high cost of food prices, fuel and other social and economic services.

The ODF founder challenged the governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, “to explain in concrete terms what he has done with the Federal Government’s palliatives and how he has spent the N6.5bn federal allocation for the month of June, 2024.”

He stated, “We are aware the Federal Government announced a palliative measure of 20 trucks of 25kg bags of rice to each state of the federation and the federal capital inclusive.

“The Federal Government announced that the palliatives should be distributed to vulnerable Nigerians across the states, but unfortunately in Ekiti State, such palliatives were not distributed to the people of the state.

“We are worried and concerned about the plight of the poor masses in Ekiti whose conditions have not been improving despite the increasing federal allocation and the Federal Government palliatives to the state,” Falegan stated.

Olatunbosun, who said the allocations accruing to the state were being prudently utilised, said, “This has earned the Oyebanji-led administration the recognition and laurel from Transparency International and other reputable global bodies”.

Olatunbosun, who described Falegan as “an attention-seeking individual who has lost touch with reality”, explained that “the Biodun Oyebanji government has nothing to hide on the allocations and palliatives. The details of the state’s monthly allocations from the Federation Account have always been made public through the government’s official website.

“Only a myopic and political bigot would fail to recognise the positive transformations taking place in the nooks and crannies of this state.

“Falegan’s perception of the Oyebanji administration is at variance with the popular commendation and applause that the governor has been receiving from the public, even objective critics,” the commissioner said.