FCT Minister gives Clues on ‘Best’ Palliative For Abuja Residents

Nyesom Wike the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, has said that the FCT Administration is considering the best palliative to give residents in the nation’s capital city to reduce the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.

According to Gistlover, the Federal Government announced a N5 billion palliative for each state of the federation, including the FCT, in early August to lessen the effects of the removal of subsidies on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as gasoline or fuel.

Since receiving N2 billion in cash and some food items, some state governments have started distributing the palliative; however, the remaining N3 billion is still needed.

However, after a private meeting with contractors overseeing various projects in the FCT yesterday, Wike stated that the FCTA might take into consideration supporting transportation and food supplies with the N5 billion palliative it has received from the Federal Government.

The Minister did, however, point out that the FCT was not a part of the N5 billion palliative until after he had sent a memo to President Bola Tinubu informing him of the change.

President Tinubu has since approved the sum, according to Wike, who also noted that other states have already received N2 billion. Wike expressed confidence that the FCT will soon receive an equal amount.

“But we are yet to decide on what to do with the N2 billion palliative. We have not chosen any area yet.

“Are we going to concentrate on food, but we are thinking that the issue of transportation is very, very important, particularly the urban mass transit.

“People would like to have easy transportation to go to where they want to go, and if you give them rice and they eat the rice today, what about transportation tomorrow?

“So, we have not come up with what actually we are going to use the money for, but I believe food support and transportation is very key,” Daily Post quoted the FCT Minister saying.