Oyebanji  Pays N5,000 Monthly Stipends to 10,000 Indigent Citizens

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has commenced payment of N5,000 monthly as palliatives to 10,000 economically vulnerable citizens of the state.

Flagging off the presentation of cheques to beneficiaries on Tuesday at the Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, Governor Oyebanji said that the gestures were part of the palliatives plans of his administration to cushion the effect of the current economic situation on indigent citizens.

Oyebanji, who was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning and Performance Management, Mr. Niyi Adebayo, noted that the initiative, which had started for over two months now, would last for five months for 10,000 indigenes of the state.

He said that each of the beneficiaries would receive the N5,000 on monthly basis for six months.

He added that the gesture was part of the state government’s alleviation programme, aimed at ensuring that the less privileged in society feel the presence of government in times of hardship.

He explained that the palliative scheme was occasioned by the federal government’s removal of subsidy on petroleum products in May this year, leading to increase in the prices of food stuffs and other commodities.

“Having realized the attendant suffering of the low-income earners, Ekiti State Government decided to intervene by giving these categories of people the succour to ameliorate their suffering.

The commissioner highlighted some of the on-going palliative programmes of the state government to include:  distribution of food items, provision of free transport system to support civil/public servants and students, payment of consequential salary adjustment to senior civil/public servants and payment of 2017leave bonus arrears to workers, food bank for elders, among others.

Adebayo stressed that the 10,000 beneficiaries were selected from the 18,000 Indigent members of the state captured in the Social Register in collaboration with the federal government.

He explained further that the compilation of the social register was devoid of political, religious or ethnic colouration, adding that their selection was transparent and it cut across all the 16 Local Government and 22 Local Council Development Areas which was subject to periodic reviews to accommodate more indigent members of the society.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Sola Akinluyi, said that the state government commenced the palliative payment in October this year, calling on the people of the state to support the Biodun Oyebanji’s administration in its bid to transform the lives of the citizenry.

He commended the governor for according top priority to the welfare and wellbeing of the people as well as the prompt release of funds for the programme.

One of the beneficiaries, Akinola Tolulope, commended Governor Oyebanji for his shared prosperity agenda for the people of the state and promised that the beneficiaries would make judicious use of the fund.