Edo Government Asks FG to Explain Source of N5bn Palliatives for States
•Says its planned new city to house 50,000 persons
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
The Edo State Government yesterday, called on the federal government to explain the source of the N5 billion palliatives for states following the removal of subsidy on petrol.
It also stated that no less than 50,000 residents would move into a new city being planned to decongest the state capital.
Speaking to journalists in Benin City, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare said the federal government needed to explain whether the financial donation to the states was from the 52 per cent share of the revenue allocation or from the 48 percent due the state governments.
He said over 1,500,000 passengers have benefited from its free inter and intra city transport to cushion the effects of the removal of subsidy since September 11 when it started.
“We have carried 1,494,000 and 33,000 passengers for the intra-city and intercity scheme respectively,” he added.
According to him, “A lot of our people have been directly touched by this gesture. It was not a knee jerk programme by the state government but was properly planned.”
For the distribution of palliatives, Nehikhare said “We are still collecting data of the poorest of the poor to ensure that those who are directly affected will be the beneficiaries and will be devoid of politics.”
On the new city called Coral City, the Commissioner for Physical Planning, Housing, Urban and Regional Development, Isoken Omo said the reason for the new city which she said started September last year was to reduce the pressure on the Benin City Centre.
She explained: “We have done the design and we have 1,300 plots available for different land uses: residential, commercial, multi-purpose, religious leisure, schools, markets, health centres, everything you need for a city to thrive and it is coming with full infrastructure like roads, drainages, power, telecommunication and others.
“We intend to house 50,000 people when it is fully completed. We have broken the project into four phases so that within the tenure of the current administration we will do the first phase with the expectation that the subsequent governments would continue the project. We opened for subscription with 467 plots to jump start the project.”
