By Aduragbemi Omiyale
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate review of the N8,000 stipend to be shared to 12 million poor households in Nigeria for a period of six months.
This information was confirmed by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Mr Dele Alake, in a statement issued on Tuesday night.
The President’s spokesman also said his boss has directed that fertilisers should be released to 50 million farmers to tackle food insecurity in the country.
Mr Tinubu removed the age-long expensive fuel subsidy when he assumed office on May 29, 2023, jerking the prices of goods and services higher.
He then announced plans to provide palliatives to cushion the effect of the new policy, which is already biting hard on citizens.
Earlier today, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited increased the pump price of petrol at its retail stations across the country to N617 per litre, sparking outrage.
Apparently worried that this could anger Nigerians, the President is reviewing the N8,000 palliative and has promised to let citizens have an idea of his plans to support them.
In the statement issued on Tuesday night, Mr Alake said the President directed that, “the N8,000 conditional cash transfer program envisaged to bring succour to most vulnerable households be reviewed immediately. This is in deference to the views expressed by Nigerians against it.”
He also said “the whole gamut of the palliative package of government be unveiled to Nigerians,” ordering the “immediate release of fertilisers and grains to approximately 50 million farmers and households respectively in all the 36 states and the FCT.”
Mr Alake described his principal as a listening leader who is determined to “always prioritise the wellbeing of Nigerians.”
He slammed “a few naysayers” for adding a lot of “ill-informed imputations” into the programmes of President Tinubu aimed at making lives better for all.
“I wish to assure Nigerians that President Tinubu will continue to be a listening leader whose ears will not be dull to the views expressed by the citizenry.
“The President believes government exists to cater for the interest of the people, and he has demonstrated this so clearly,” the statement concluded.
