The Edo State Government’s Executive Council has announced its commitment to fulfilling Governor Obaseki’s assurance to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) following a recent warning strike. In line with this commitment, the state government has allocated a sum of N500 million to provide palliative support to vulnerable citizens of the state. The support will amount to N20,000 per person and is scheduled to begin in September. This initiative aims to allete the adverse impacts of the fuel subsidy removal and the subsequent increase in fuel prices.
Addressing the public during a press briefing after the Council’s session, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr. Chris Osa Nehikhare, also voiced the state government’s condemnation of Deputy Governor Phillip Shaibu’s alleged involvement in an impeachment saga and cautioned about potential consequences.
The N500 million fund will be drawn from the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Nehikhare assured that the government has a robust and reliable database that includes data on the most economically vulnerable individuals in the state. This database was developed in collaboration with the World Bank between 2019 and 2021.
The Commissioner explained that the Executive Council’s decision involves revalidating and reviewing the existing data. With the use of Edo State Residency Cards and National Identity Numbers (NINs), an effective and efficient database has been established, enabling the identification of those most in need.
Once the revalidation and review process is concluded, the government plans to distribute N20,000 per month to approximately 314,000 households and over 100,000 individuals listed in the database. Nehikhare emphasized that the N500 million funding for this initiative is sourced from Edo State’s IGR, highlighting the people’s contribution to the state’s finances and the government’s commitment to supporting them during economic challenges.
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