Osun State Government has disclosed that it has started receiving the expected 43 trucks of food palliatives of garri and corn from the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The move is part of the government’s efforts to cushion the effects of hardship being currently experienced by Nigerians across the country.
The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, made the disclosure in a statement issued on Monday.
“Out of the total of 43 trucks being expected, 4 are Garri of 25kg with each of the trucks containing 1260 bags and another 39 trucks of 50Kg bag of Corn, containing 600 bags each.
“It is to be noted that, the Osun State Government is being charged the sum of #67,422,000,00( Sixty Seven Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-Two Thousand Naira) by the F.G as haulage fee out of which, the State Government, has paid the sum 45,000,000,00(Forty-Five Million Naira) leaving it with a balance of 22,422,000 (Twenty-two Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-Two Thousand) to be offset before the delivery of the remaining consignments would be affected,” he said.
According to Alimi, “This current food palliative which consists of Garri and Corn originated from the office of the National Security Adviser ( NSA) and is distributed by the National Emergency Management Agency Office (NEMA), Abuja, and it’s being received by Osun State Government through the office the of Osun State Emergency Management Agency (OSEMA).
“However, for transparency, record and accountability, the Officials of Nigeria Police, ICPC, DSS and EFCC and NEMA are readily on the ground to monitor the offloading and documentation of the consignments of the food palliatives.
“Accordingly, the distribution of the food palliatives to the would-be beneficiaries throughout the State will commence, tomorrow, Tuesday, 30th July 2024 and it is going to be carried out in line with an already spelt out template given by the FG which is in concomitant with the one also already mapped out by the Osun State Government.
“Osun State Government started receiving and offloading the trucks of the two edibles of Garri and corns from Thursday,11th of July, 2024 at OSEMA warehouse in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
“So far, as of Sunday, the 28th of July, 2024, 4 trucks of Garri of 25kg and 21 trucks of Corns of 50kg bag, have been received. While all 4 trucks of Garri and the 16 trucks of corn have been offloaded, the remaining 5 trucks of corn will be offloaded today as Osun State Government is still expecting 1 truck of corn today, Monday, the 29th of July 2024.
“In line with the agreement earlier reached with the FG, Osun State is also to offset the cost of both offloading and distribution of the food palliatives to the would-be beneficiaries in the various Local Governments in the State.”
Promising transparency in the distribution, he said, “The present administration in Osun State under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, with all sense of responsibility, is glad to announce that, the formal distribution exercise will commence with immediate effect, tomorrow, Tuesday, 30th of July, 2024 through a clean, clear, thorough and transparent process.
“We wish to use this opportunity to assure the people of the State, especially the targeted most vulnerable population, of the readiness of Senator Ademola Adeleke’s Government to adhere strictly to an already laid down templates for the distribution by both the State and Federal Governments.
“While we also count on the continued support and cooperation of the people of Osun State, we are equally using this medium to state that, no one, especially the most targeted vulnerable population will be shortchanged whatsoever during the distribution of the food items.”
