The governor of Niger State, Umaru Bago, has declared three days of public holidays to allow for the effective distribution of N5.23 billion worth of palliatives to residents of the 25 local government areas of the state.

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While rolling out the modalities for distribution, the governor warned that anyone found wanting in the distribution of the palliatives risked a jail term.

The governor disclosed this during a maiden press conference at the Government House in Minna on Friday.

He said the holiday will start from Wednesday, September 6 to Friday, September 8.

He disclosed that the state government has received N2 billion and five trucks of rice from the federal government, adding that the government is still expecting the balance of N2 billion and 40,000 bags of maize from the federal government.

He added that because the state government cannot wait for the federal government to send in the balance while the people are suffering, the state government has decided to augment the palliatives so that it would reach the grassroots.

Mr Bago pointed out that all public officers, civil servants, political appointees, political parties, and organised labour would be involved in the palliatives distribution, which would be at the polling units and ward level.

He added that the three days of public holidays are to ensure that all the political appointees and public office holders go back to their local government and wards to oversee the distribution of the palliatives.

He said: “N10 million will be distributed per ward in 21 local government areas while wards in Bida, Suleja, Kontagora, and Chachanga local government areas would get N20 million each. N80 million will be gone to traditional institutions so that they won’t put their hand on what is meant for the people, N75 million will be provided for the IDPs, N150 million to political parties so that they won’t divert the palliatives, and N110 million for logistics and security.

“The federal government is sending us 40,000 bags of maize and we have 4,950 polling units, we are sharing 10 bags of maize per polling unit. We will be augmenting additional 10,000 bags which will cost us N575 million. The total value would be N5, 230,550,000. The state would augment N230 billion to the N5 billion that would be given by the federal government.

“The monies would be disturbed on Monday to the local government accounts. Everybody must go and sit down in their wards and local government. You must not buy rice. If your people are used to eating beans or yam, buy it for them. The local government and wards would decide what to buy. We decided not to decentralize this money so that we can spread the wealth back to the people,” he said.