Hadiza Ibrahim and Favour Ozioma Ogbodo report that amidst the prevailing sentiment among the people regarding the effectiveness of palliative measures and programmes by the Federal Government to reduce the financial burden brought upon them by the removal of fuel subsidy, FCT residents are yet to even get any intervention.
In response to the controversial petrol subsidy removal, the Federal Government allocated a significant sum of 5 billion Naira to each state in the federation, along with 180 trucks of rice as part of efforts to ease economic challenges faced by Nigerians.
While this allocation generated anticipation, concerns have risen regarding the equitable distribution of these promised palliatives, as not all citizens have received them. But even among those who benefitted, the question lingers on the capacity of these measures to effectively alleviate the hardships resulting from the subsidy removal.
States have received the aid and many have even concluded distribution of the rice and other consumables, but notably absent from the list is the FCT. This distribution disparity raises questions about resource allocation fairness.
Mr. Chiname, a security guard in Apo, lamented, “Hunger is widespread, and palliatives won’t be sufficient. Honestly, I’m not anticipating any government assistance. I lack information about the distribution of palliatives and haven’t received any myself or heard of anyone who has.”
Chiname also stressed the importance of government communication to keep citizens informed about palliative distribution.
Onyeugbo Godwin, a university undergraduate, echoed a similar view, saying, “Honestly, I haven’t heard about the distribution of palliatives, be it cash or food. To me, these palliatives won’t significantly alleviate the hardship, so I’m not overly concerned.”
“I’m unaware of any palliative distribution, and I haven’t seen anyone who received them. I don’t have high expectations from the government, so I’m not focusing on palliatives,” added Mr. Sarahi, a gateman.
Mrs. Abosede Ibrahim, a civil servant, questioned the government’s approach, stating, “The government’s handling of palliatives suggests they didn’t adequately plan to alleviate the subsidy removal’s hardship. Even if these palliatives are shared, their impact may be short-lived. What happens afterward?”
As Nigerians grapples with the aftermath of subsidy removal and palliative distribution, citizens remain skeptical about the measures’ impact on their daily lives. The demand for sustainable solutions remains a central concern.
