N5bn: FCT considers transportation and dietary palliatives for residents
Federal Capital Territory Administration Minister Nyesom Wike said his administration has yet to decide how to spend the N5 billion relief fund expected from the federal government.
He said his administration may consider transportation and food aid while noting that efforts were underway to bring urban mass transportation back to the FCT to reduce the suffering of residents in terms of transportation.
Wike revealed the development to reporters in Abuja on Monday evening, after a closed meeting with contractors managing several projects in the FCT.
“We have not yet decided what to do with the 5 billion naira stopgap. We haven't chosen any domains yet. Are we going to focus on food? But we believe that the issue of transport is very important, especially urban public transport.
“People would like to have easy transportation to get where they want to go, and if you give them rice and they eat the rice today, what about there transport tomorrow?
"So we haven't decided yet what we're actually going to use this money for, but I think food aid and transport are essential," Wike said.
The PUNCH reports that the federal government on August 17 announced a 5 billion naira palliative for each state in the federation, including the FCT, to cushion the impact of the removal of the gasoline subsidy.
Some state governments have confirmed that they have received N2 billion of this amount pending the balance of N3 billion.
Meanwhile, Wike noted that the FCT had not previously been included in the disbursement of the N5 billion stopgap funds until he drafted a note advising President Bola Tinubu of the evolution of the situation.
He added, however, that President Tinubu had endorsed the amount, noting that other states had already received 2 billion Naira, while expressing his confidence that the FCTA will also receive its own soon.< /p>
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Federal Capital Territory Administration Minister Nyesom Wike said his administration has yet to decide how to spend the N5 billion relief fund expected from the federal government.
He said his administration may consider transportation and food aid while noting that efforts were underway to bring urban mass transportation back to the FCT to reduce the suffering of residents in terms of transportation.
Wike revealed the development to reporters in Abuja on Monday evening, after a closed meeting with contractors managing several projects in the FCT.
“We have not yet decided what to do with the 5 billion naira stopgap. We haven't chosen any domains yet. Are we going to focus on food? But we believe that the issue of transport is very important, especially urban public transport.
“People would like to have easy transportation to get where they want to go, and if you give them rice and they eat the rice today, what about there transport tomorrow?
"So we haven't decided yet what we're actually going to use this money for, but I think food aid and transport are essential," Wike said.
The PUNCH reports that the federal government on August 17 announced a 5 billion naira palliative for each state in the federation, including the FCT, to cushion the impact of the removal of the gasoline subsidy.
Some state governments have confirmed that they have received N2 billion of this amount pending the balance of N3 billion.
Meanwhile, Wike noted that the FCT had not previously been included in the disbursement of the N5 billion stopgap funds until he drafted a note advising President Bola Tinubu of the evolution of the situation.
He added, however, that President Tinubu had endorsed the amount, noting that other states had already received 2 billion Naira, while expressing his confidence that the FCTA will also receive its own soon.< /p>
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