The Deputy Minority Leader of the 10th Ogun State Assembly, Hon. Lukmon Atobatele, has advised Governor Dapo Abiodun – led state government not to politicise or monopolise the distribution of grains and money donated to the State by the Federal Government.
Atobatele urged the state government to be committed and transparent to the people with the process of distributing the palliatives, advising that it should not be turned into a party affair or be allowed to suffer the same fate that befell the COVID-19 relief package distribution.
He urged the state government to get the Ogun Assembly lawmakers involved in the sharing of the palliatives meant to mitigate the hardships occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker who stated this in Abeokuta on Sunday while reacting to the confirmation by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi that the State had received the FG palliatives, however, commended the state government for acknowledging the consignments.
He said “the members of the Assembly are closer to the people in their constituents, thus the need to carry them along” during the distribution process.
He said: “Though the SSG assured that the distribution would have nothing to do with political or religious affiliations, it becomes political, if only the ruling party is made to decide solely, how to distribute the palliatives
“The Assembly should be involved in the distribution to ensure it gets directly to Ogun residents whom the palliatives are meant for and not members of the ruling party alone.”
The lawmaker decried the present hardship the people are facing, saying people now find it hard to eat three square meals or meet their basic needs.
“This is a trying time and we must be committed and transparent to our people. This must not be turned a party affair. What happened during the COVID-19 period should not repeat itself. The names of committee members to decide the sharing of the palliatives must be in the open to know who and who are responsible,” he said.
