Let’s be patient with lawmakers on rice palliative – APC Publicity Secretary

Tajudeen Aro, the Kwara State Publicity Secretary for the All Progressives Congress, discusses a variety of topics with TUNDE OYEKOLA, including the scandal surrounding the rice palliative that was purportedly supplied to National Assembly members.

During the first half of his second term, what was your impression of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s performance?

In his second tenure, the governor has shown some very encouraging and noteworthy results. He has been performing well, and government is a continuity. Work of the General Tunde Idiagbon Bridge at the Tanke area has accelerated as we speak. During his first term, a number of other initiatives were initiated, including the garment factory and road improvements in Ilorin and other parts of the state. When the people of the state elected him to a second term in office, they did not err. However, I want to implore our people to support the governor more so that he can function better. The governor has more goods in store for the state’s citizens, and he needs our encouragement and support to make progress.

The state’s residents have received food palliatives as part of the steps implemented after the federal government stopped providing gasoline subsidies. Do you believe that the impact of the evacuation on the people has been lessened by these palliatives?

In the best interests of the Nigerian people, the Federal Government removed the fuel subsidy. The federal and state governments devised a range of interim strategies to mitigate the impact of the discontinuation of the fuel subsidy. Sadly, because of our lack of sincerity and our shoddy planning and implementation from top to bottom, the anticipated improvement in people’s living situations is not felt despite our best efforts.

Regarding the palliative awards that the Kwara State Government has granted to the state’s citizens, what are your thoughts?

As the head of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, our governor was the first to announce a number of interim measures for the state’s residents to lessen the impact of President Bola Tinubu’s announcement regarding the elimination of gasoline subsidies. These included giving people food aid, cutting the number of working days from five to three, and lowering the cost of maize for chicken producers.

The productive sector, especially farming, was the focus of government initiatives. Despite the greatest efforts of the distribution committee, the amount is insufficient and unsustainable given Nigerian factors like greed and selfishness. The government started giving the workers a N10,000 monthly stipend in addition to what it was already paying. I would want to make a plea to the government to step up efforts to address the paltry sum provided as palliative care to employees and pensioners.

The federal government reportedly approved the purchase of trailer loads of rice as a consolation for the elected federal lawmakers. Do you consider this information to be accurate?

Indeed, the accuracy of that assertion was demonstrated by a number of remarks made by federal officials and lawmakers. However, the fact that it was not delivered to individuals in the various constituencies and was not received by some parliamentarians does not imply otherwise. I want to implore the people to have patience with their political officials since the rice palliative will soon be available to them.

The nine lawmakers who were elected to the state assembly on the APC platform denied having received the trailer loads of rice that were to be given to their constituents. What are your thoughts on this?

Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and ask them to be patient.

How should the federal and state governments address the problem of providing palliative care to the state’s citizens?

The government is aware of some methods that palliative care providers can use to reach the lowest levels of society. We have set up institutions and associations through which these palliatives can be administered. The most vulnerable persons can be found, as a last option, in churches and mosques. Through community associations, religious organizations, and other channels, these food goods and other commodities can be distributed.

The state government recently gave a single corporation three significant contracts: Kwara Hotels, Unity Road development, and a flyover along Unity Road. What is your opinion of this, and do you believe it to be true?

It is dependent upon the procedures and requirements included in the contract approval. The company may be granted several chances and opportunities to carry out these contracts, provided that these requirements are satisfied and there is no reason to question the organization’s competency or honesty. Thus, I don’t think there is anything wrong with the state government’s decision to award the three contracts to the same business.