The National Executive Council, NEC, has approved the palliative measures for Nigerians following the petrol subsidy removal and the recent surge of petrol prices to 617 Naira per Litre.
This decision was arrived at on Thursday, July 20 during a meeting held at the Council Chambers of the State House in FCT, Abuja.
The meeting was led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, had been attended by the governors of the 36 states of the Federation. Also in attendance were stakeholders from World Bank, the Director General of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum.
According to NEC, integrity tests had been considered on state social registers, remarking that cash transfers would be done via state social registers Subject to State peculiarities.
Government officials were additionally urged during the meeting, to cut down the cost of governance in their various offices.
Plans have been made for food items including grains and fertilisers to be shared by state governments at the rate gotten from National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA.
States were also urged to double down on energy transition plans in the transport sector.
This is the Council’s second meeting and it is expected for more discussions to be made on reviewing the palliative package for Nigerians in the face of fuel subsidy removal.
Recall that President Tinubu, in his attempt to ‘cushion’ the effect of the biting economic situation in the country, had unveiled his administration’s plan to transfer a monthly sum of 8,000 Naira to 12 million of the poorest families in the country for six months.
This plan had been met with severe backlash from the Nigerian populace who were scandalised by the meagre sum offered to ‘help’ the nation’s indigent.
A lot of the citizens had been of the opinion that the sum proffered was insulting, as well as outrageous, considering the vast difference in the allowance that senators and various political dignitaries were being paid every month.