In a move that has sparked both intrigue and scepticism, President Bola Tinubu has penned a letter to the House of Representatives, urging an amendment to the 2022 supplementary appropriation Act. The proposed amendment, he claims, is necessary to secure a staggering sum of N500 billion for palliative measures aimed at mitigating the impact of subsidy removal.
During Wednesday’s plenary session, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read out the president’s letter, titled “Request for the amendment of the 2022 appropriation act,” capturing the attention of lawmakers and the public alike. Tinubu argued that the funds could be sourced from the existing 2022 supplementary Appropriation Act, which currently amounts to N819.5 billion.
In his letter, Tinubu stated, “I write to request the approval of the House of Representatives for an amendment of the 2022 appropriation act in accordance with the law. The request has become necessary in order to source funds to provide necessary palliatives to cushion the effect of the recent removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria.”
The sum of N500 billion, he emphasized, would be extracted from the current N819.536 billion appropriation act to extend support to Nigerians impacted by the fuel subsidy removal. The president expressed his hope that the House would expedite the consideration of his request.
However, this development has reignited memories of the past, particularly the events of 2020 during the COVID-19 period, when palliatives intended for the masses were allegedly hoarded by certain politicians. The subsequent End SARS protest shed light on this controversial issue, exposing the unsettling truth.
It is worth noting that despite the country having overcome the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and fully reopened its economy, reports revealed that many of the palliatives meant to alleviate the suffering of the people during the crisis failed to reach the intended recipients. Instead, they were stockpiled in state warehouses or even found in the homes of politicians, until they were looted by hoodlums during the protests.
During the pandemic, numerous Nigerians voiced their frustrations, claiming that the promised government palliatives either never reached them or were grossly insufficient to alleviate their hardships. As a result, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, led by Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, faced significant media backlash at the time.
Given this recent history, Nigerians are understandably wary of the proposed palliatives. They fear that, once again, politicians may seize the opportunity to exploit these resources for personal gain rather than delivering them to the common man. Unsurprisingly, the news of Tinubu’s letter to the House of Representatives has drawn a variety of reactions from concerned citizens.
@Gabriel “Pls we don’t need palliatives, we have not forgotten the last time they do palliative…if they don’t know what to do pls let them return the subsidy back.”
@U.J “With the level of corruption and greed in our leaders, the palliative will still end up in the private bank accounts of politicians, just like the COVID-19 palliative.”
@Obele “That #500billion, he can use it as empowerment to all Nigerian’s citizen
We are not up to 1 billion in the country. If everybody or citizens are paid 1 million each from the 5 billion there will still be a remnant. Instead of palliative that won’t reach the whole country”
As the controversy unfolds, it remains to be seen whether the House of Representatives will approve Tinubu’s request during Thursday’s plenary session. The fate of these proposed palliatives hangs in the balance, leaving many Nigerians pondering the true intentions behind this potential amendment to the 2022 appropriation act.
