The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, has asked President Bola Tinubu to clarify his request for N500 billion which was touted as a measure to support struggling families following the removal of subsidies on essential petroleum products.
Mr Tinubu had, upon swearing in on May 29, ended the decades-long policy designed to keep prices of petrol, which also affect other commodities, in check. He argued that the policy favoured the wealthy more than the everyday Nigerians.
As criticism intensified over the abject poverty that is ravaging citizens across the country, Mr Tinubu announced today that he would be rolling out about N500 billion to 12 million families, who would receive N8,000 (about $10 at the prevailing exchange rate) every month over a six-month period.
In a statement released on Thursday, CACOL urged the president to disclose modalities for the evaluation of eligible citizens and how the funds would be disbursed without sharp practices.
“Nigerians need to know more about the N500 billion the president is requesting. He should make the details of how the money would be spent more clear to the average Nigerian.’’ CACOL said in a statement by its spokesman Tola Oresanwo. “Inasmuch as we are not against the provision of palliatives for Nigerians who have been negatively affected by the removal of the fuel subsidy, we are calling on the president to reveal the details of how the money will be spent.”
The group said Nigerians should not be deceived by the latest policy, which bore the marking of similar ones that were introduced in the past but ended up going into the pockets of the corrupt elite.
“In a country where a humongous amount of money had been expended in the past years majorly on palliatives and the low number of people that benefitted from the said palliatives, it will be unthinkable for this administration to follow the part of the past administrations.
“We are all living witnesses to the way and manner some foodstuffs that were meant to serve as palliatives for Nigerians were locked up in warehouses across the country by some greedy and selfish people in power at the detriment of pauperized, traumatised and famished Nigerians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“To avoid the mistakes of the past administrations, the Tinubu-led government should publicize how it intends to spend the money, the names and locations of the beneficiaries, the modalities for disbursing the money and the conditions attached to the disbursement (if any), and other details that would set the minds of Nigerians at peace knowing fully well that the money would be used as planned.” the group said.
