Economic crunch: Dapo Abiodun rolls out N5bn intervention fund to Ogun residents
The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has announced a N5bn palliatives in all sectors of the state economy to cushion the effects of the current socio-economic -hardship being experienced by residents of the state and in the country.
At a press briefing in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Wednesday, the governor also approved food palliatives for about 300,000 vulnerable households across the three Senatorial districts of the state, and offset of outstanding deductions to state workers to the tune of N500m monthly.
The governor further announced N50,000 support for about 27,000 Ogun State students in tertiary institutions across the country, insurance package for 70,000 residents and pregnant women, among other palliatives.
With the removal of petrol subsidy last May by President Bola Tinubu, the cost of a litre of Premium Motor Spirit jumped from N184 to over N600. The attendant effect of the situation also include rising inflation and unprecedented increase in the prices of commodities.
The high cost of living in the country has sparked protests in states, even as the Federal Government and state governments continue to assure the people that they are committed to their welfare.
Abiodun, on Wednesday, said, “As our administration acknowledges the concerns raised by many of our citizens regarding the rising food prices and shortages, coupled with the depreciation of the Naira, we identify with you and are taking proactive measures to alleviate the impact of these challenges to guarantee the welfare, well-being and wellness of our citizens in this difficult time.
“In this direction and through targeted interventions, we aim to address these challenges by implementing a series of phased initiatives aimed at alleviating these burdens on all our citizens.
“The state has taken the following steps: Education Sector: Providing a minimum of 5 exercise books for all 850,000 students in our public primary and secondary schools.
“We are providing a one-time N10,000 education support grant for at least 100,000 pupils in our public primary and secondary schools in the state. Providing all 27,600 indigent students in tertiary institutions nationwide with an education grant of N50,000 each.”
He said his administration would provide insurance health cover for over 70,000 beneficiaries to include pregnant women, children, the elderly, market women and other members of the informal sector while pregnant women, under the Ibidero Scheme would be providing free pre-natal care, an additional N5,000 per birth and free post-natal care in the State Hospitals and Primary Health Care Centers across the State.
“The State Government will commence to offset the backlog of inherited deductions. To this end, we are immediately committing N500 million monthly payment towards outstanding deductions. It is noteworthy that we have continues to pay N10,000 transport allowance to all civil servants for the last 8 months.
“This brings our total immediate interventions as a responsible State Government to about N5 billion across all sectors of the State economy,” the governor submitted.
He noted that his administration would not be insensitive to the challenges being faced by the citizens, appreciating the people for their perseverance, patience and understanding.
“Let me assure you that the present economic situation is just a transient phase that will soon pass. Whatever we experience now are just necessary sacrifices that we have to make towards ensuring a greater tomorrow,” he said.
Read below the summary of the interventions as read by Prince Dapo Abiodun
Recognising the concerns raised by our citizens regarding the increase in food prices and shortages, along with the depreciation of the naira, our administration has planned a series of initiatives aimed at relieving the burden on all our citizens during this trying period. These initiatives will be implemented in phases and will focus on the following sectors:
Education Sector:
1. We will provide a minimum of five exercise books to all 850,000 students in our public primary and secondary schools.
2. A one-time education support grant of ₦10,000 will be given to at least 100,000 pupils in our public primary and secondary schools.
3. We will provide an education grant of N50,000 each to the 27,600 indigent students in various tertiary institutions nationwide.
Health:
1. We will offer insurance health cover to over 70,000 beneficiaries, including pregnant women, children, the elderly, market women, and members of the informal sector.
2. Under the Ibidero Scheme, pregnant women will receive free prenatal care, an additional ₦5,000 per birth, and free postnatal care in the state hospitals and primary health care centres.
Agriculture:
1. Food palliatives, including rice and other food items, will be provided to approximately 300,000 households across the state.
Civil Service:
1. We will start clearing the backlog of inherited deductions in the civil service. For this purpose, ₦500 million will be allocated monthly towards outstanding deductions.
2. It is important to note that we have been consistently paying a ₦10,000 transport allowance to all civil servants for the past 8 months.
These immediate interventions across all sectors of the state economy amount to approximately ₦5 billion. We are confident that we will overcome this temporary economic situation. The sacrifices we make now are necessary for a better future.
We would like to express our gratitude to our President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his continuous efforts in navigating the complexities of our nation’s economy. We acknowledge his dedication to steering the ship through difficult times, and we appreciate his leadership.
Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON
Governor, Ogun State
