By Ayodele Oni
Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, has flagged-off the distribution of over N12bn assorted grains as Ramadan palliatives to the people of the state.
Speaking while launching the exercise in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday, Idris warned distribution committees at all levels against any form of abnormalities.
He insisted that any government official found tampering with the distribution exercise would be severely dealt with to serve as deterrent to others.
A statement by Ahmed Idris, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, described the palliatives as an interim measure to bring succour to the general public, especially in the present economic predicament.
While assuring that his government remained people’s administration, the governor said the gesture was in complement of his campaign promises.
Giving the breakdown of the distribution, Idris said the state’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) would receive 4,000 bags of rice and 3,400 bags of grains.
He added that teachers would receive 9,900 bags of rice and 9,500 bags of grains, while 1,000 bags of rice and 1,000 bags of grains would go to Islamic Scholars among others.
The governor pointed out that the current disbursement was fully sponsored by the state government, assuring that another batch of palliative was being expected from the federal government, adding “we have started receiving consignments from them.”
Idris observed that a sign of good leadership “is for leaders to be alive to their responsibilities. As a teacher and a unionist, my government don’t owe workers salaries, gratuity or death benefits.
“In the spirit of fairness and magnanimity, I have directed the payment of this month workers’ salaries from today, and I have already approved the payment of 2023/2024 leave grant for all categories workers.
“Workers are my constituency and teachers are my back, hence the need to do everything to protect their interests.”
The governor instructed that the palliatives should be distributed to all and sundry, irrespective of party affiliation, “because election is over, what remains now is governance and everybody will be carried along.”
