Fuel subsidy removal: Ekiti approves N5,000 monthly cash transfer to poor households

The Ekiti state government has rolled out palliative measures to cushion the effects of the petrol subsidy removal on residents.

In July, Biodun Oyebanji, the governor, directed a three-man committee to meet with the leadership of organised labour to finalise proposals for the measures.

Speaking with journalists on Wednesday, Akintunde Oyebode, commissioner for finance and economic development, said the government has approved the recommendations of the committee.

Oyebode, who is the chairman of the committee, said the palliatives cover people in the formal and informal sectors as well as the elderly and indigent.

He said some of the palliatives include N5,000 monthly conditional cash transfer to 10,000 poor and most vulnerable households from August to December 2023.

Others include free shuttle buses for workers and students to and from their places of assignments; free medical care through the EKHIS programme (Ulera wa) for 10,000 residents and most especially the aged.

“Immediate payment of consequential adjustment of the minimum wage to officers on grade levels 14-17; leave bonus of 2017 as well as the implementation and payment of 2020 and 2021 promotion arrears,” he said.

“Other approval of the Governor, according to the committee included the implementation of 90 percent CONHESS and 100 percent hazard allowance for local government health workers as well as salary parity for clinical staff of the Hospitals Management Board.”

Others palliatives are the distribution of food items to the poor and most vulnerable households, distribution of inputs to farmers, as well as financial support to small businesses and the informal sector.

Oyebode restated the commitment of the Oyebanji  administration to the people of the state and assured them that the increased revenue from the removal of petrol subsidy would lead to improved service delivery from the government.