NATIONAL NATIONAL News

Subsidy: NEC Directs Integrity Test On Social Registers

Written by Bunmi Abdulraheem

Vice President Kashim Shettima at the National Economic Council meeting at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

National Executive Council (NEC) on Thursday directed an integrity test be conducted on State social registers as cash transfers will now be subjected to state peculiarities.

During the meeting at the Council chambers of the State House in Abuja, the NEC also urged state governments to start reducing the cost of governance in their respective areas.

The meeting, which was chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, also directed State governments to immediately distribute grains and fertilizers at the rate given to them by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The Council also urged states to recommit themselves to energy transition plans in the transportation sector.

In attendance were governors of the 36 states of the Federation, the Director-General of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, stakeholders from the World Bank and other agencies of government.

The 8,000 fuel subsidy palliative planned by the federal government for 12 million Nigerians regarded as the poorest of the poor has been facing a backlash from the public, with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) describing it as “robbing the masses to pay the politicians”.

Following reactions from Nigerians,  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed a review of the N8,000 fuel subsidy palliative.

The President has also directed the unveiling of the whole palliative package meant to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.

Bello Wakili