House of Representatives candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Dekina/Bassa in the 2023 elections, Austin Okai Usman, has called on the Kogi state government to unveil a transparent distribution plan for federal rice and palliatives amidst growing concerns.
In a statement released over the weekend and shared with journalists in Abuja, Okai emphasized that the 5 billion Naira allocated to the state should also be allocated transparently.
He stressed the importance of the Kogi state government disclosing the method by which the bags of rice sent to the state will be distributed.
“I find it difficult to understand why the state has not yet announced the arrival of the federal government’s palliatives. Genuine stakeholders in Kogi State should implore the government to release the rice palliatives sent by the Federal Government to the state.
“The rice must be shared across all political lines, as it is meant for the citizens of the state to alleviate the effects of the subsidy policy.
“Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s government must assure the people of Kogi state that they will not be denied the rice palliatives.
“When citizens are content, the state will be at peace. The government’s responsibility extends to all citizens regardless of political affiliation. Since the federal government has openly announced the rice distribution, there is no need for the state to remain silent on the matter,” he said.
Okai added that local government authorities must not be disconnected from this rice distribution.
“Many of them might divert it for election purposes, or even sell it for profit. An agency should be established to address the distribution equitably,” he suggested.
