Alia demonstrated transparency, honesty with FG palliatives distribution – Dan Onjeh

The APC 2023 Senatorial Candidate for Benue South, Com. Daniel Onjeh, has commended the Governor of Benue State, the Very Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, over what he termed the honest, fair and equitable distribution of the palliatives released by the Federal Government to the various federating units, to cushion the effects of the policy on fuel subsidy removal. Com. Onjeh made this assertion today in Otukpo, while supervising the continuation of the distribution of FG palliatives in Benue South.

Onjeh, who stated that he was in Otukpo to supervise the activity to ensure the palliatives get to the targeted indigenes of Benue South, said the gesture was an initiative of the President Tinubu-led Federal Government, which Governor Alia has painstakingly implemented across Benue State to the benefit of its teeming citizens. “Governor Alia a Governor of the people, with the people and for the people. There has never been a bountiful distribution of palliatives in Benue State as being done under his watch. This noble activity today is a clear demonstration of this fact, and just one amongst the several other channels that were used for the distribution” stated Onjeh.

While the relief materials distributed at the event were 1000 bags of corn and 300 bags of rice, all weighing 50 kg, and valued at N65million; Onjeh stated that the beneficiaries were the less privileged, the widows, the orphans; the poorest of the poor as well as the vulnerable members of the society.

The distribution, according to Onjeh, transcends political boundaries, as members of all political parties, and even the non-partisans, benefitted equitably from the largesse. “In fact, Governor Alia carried the entire Benue along in the distribution of the palliatives,” stated Onjeh.

The former Chairman, Governing Board of PRODA, Enugu, reminded the gathering that in his message of appreciation to the Benue South people for their support during the last general elections, he informed them that he would continue to promote and serve their best interests in any capacity he finds himself in the future; adding that the current assignment was one of such opportunities, and he intends to discharge the mandate given to him by the State Governor diligently and optimally.

Com. Onjeh further informed the motley crowd of excited beneficiaries at the venue of the distribution that he was reliably informed that the Federal Government had equally released well over One Hundred and fifty Million Naira to each federal legislator, to enable them procure additional palliatives for distribution to the masses in their various constituencies during the yuletide season.

“I therefore wish to charge you – the Benue South electorate – to confidently hold your respective federal legislators to account on how they appropriated the huge sums of monies released to them by the Federal Government to reach out to the masses and ameliorate the effects of the fuel subsidy withdrawal in their respective federal constituencies,” stated Onjeh.

Onjeh further noted that while some federal legislators may take the full credit for such palliatives, others are not even magnanimous enough at heart to judiciously use the all funds released by the Federal Government to purchase the relief materials, while there were those that only ensure that the palliatives get to their families, friends and political associates, to the exclusion of the teeming masses that truly deserve the relief.

“We hope some selfish politicians and public office holders will not hoard such palliatives in secret warehouses across the country, with the ignoble intent of using them to entice voters during their next political campaigns as was done with COVID-19 palliatives,” stated Onjeh.

Com. Onjeh tasked the National Assembly members that are currently distributing palliatives to their constituents, to also do well to tell the citizens exactly where they got the support for the palliatives from, as that will encourage the citizens to be patriotic enough to support Mr. President in his policy drive and policy direction.

“It will further ensure that disgruntled elements do not continue to latch on to the hardship that attends the fuel subsidy removal to incite the public against the Federal Government with the aim of instigating chaos in the country. So beyond sharing, the federal legislators should educate their people, and further let them know the benefits of the fuel subsidy removal,” stated Onjeh.

According to Onjeh, hitherto, in the subsidy regime, only a few people were benefitting at the expense of the generality of Nigerians. So there can be no better time than now, for the federal government to stop the payment of fuel subsidy.

“And for those federal legislators that only distributed a pinch of what they were given as palliatives, they should endeavour to return all that was given to them for the poor people, because these palliatives were meant to cushion the effects of the hardship which attended the fuel subsidy removal,” noted Onjeh.

Com. Onjeh opined that as soon as the Federal Government had given an indication of its policy direction, it behooves every political actor to be patriotic and loyal enough to the cause, so that Nigeria can get it right. He added that if all the palliatives released so far by the Federal Government were truly getting to the Nigerian masses, and in the full measures released, the suffering across the land would have been tremendously alleviated.

He further advised the Federal Government that in releasing such palliative funds to federal lawmakers or political office holders in the future, it shouldn’t be a carte blanche; rather, a bold tag should be placed on it. “The details of what should be done with the funds should be spelt out, so that even the average electorate can be aware of what to expect, and therefore be able to hold their elected officials to account,” advised Onjeh.

On the importance of the removal of fuel subsidy, Com. Onjeh stated that the money that will be saved in the process will help to advance our national infrastructure, to aid our development in the area of building more road and rail networks, power plants to boost electricity supply, and other social amenities that would boost local production and attract more direct foreign investment into the country in the long run.

“Besides, President Tinubu has only recently presented his first budget before the National Assembly, which holds great promise for the future of Nigeria. We are poised to witness rapid development in the coming years, but it will entail a lot of patience on the part of Nigerians.

Therefore, we hope that these palliatives and social interventions will come from time to time, to bring relief to the masses, while we await the advancement of the country from the judicious allocation of the revenues that will have otherwise been lost to the scandalous fuel subsidy regime,” stated Onjeh.

The former student activist and President of NANS advised the people not to be deceived by the antics of egocentric public officials who may wish to take full credit for the palliatives released to them during the yuletide season, adding that the relief materials actually belong to the people; having been released by the federal government; and the public officials were only discharging the mandate of conveying the items to the right people at the grassroots.

Speaking further, Onjeh commended the transparent nature of the distribution of the palliatives in Benue South, adding that in order to ensure that the relief materials truly get to the intended beneficiaries at the grassroots, the distribution was done using the platform of the Onjeh Volunteers’ Network (OVN), which has visible structures in all the nooks and crannies of Benue South.

“The choice of using the Onjeh Volunteers’ Network (OVN) for the distribution is to ensure that the palliatives get to the very doorsteps of the masses at the grassroots. Recall that OVN has been in existence in Benue South since my 2016 re-run election against former Senate President, David Mark, only that its focus and objectives has been modified and it is now operating strictly as a charity organization,” stated Onjeh.

Com. Onjeh noted that all the Coordinators of OVN in the 9 local governments and 102 council wards that comprise Benue South were invited to facilitate the distribution. He added that a number of reputable, credible and trustworthy stakeholders were equally invited to serve as volunteers on ad hoc basis, to equally oversee the redistribution of the relief materials to the very doorsteps of the targeted beneficiaries at the over 1,400 polling units across the senatorial district.

“In addition, the various associations of widows in Benue South were involved in the selection process of beneficiaries, while in some cases; the beneficiaries were directly identified and contacted based on their known circumstances and the recommendations of other members of the family, society, or association which they belong,” stated Onjeh.

Com. Onjeh further informed that a reliable feedback mechanism has been instituted, with credible independent monitors stationed at the respective polling units across Benue South, to provide timely and accurate report on the redistribution of the relief materials to the target beneficiaries.

While urging the people to make the most judicious use of the relief materials released to them, Com. Onjeh seized the medium to wish the entire Benue South people a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Benue State Commissioner of Water Resources and Environment, Hon. Ugwu Odoh, appreciated President Tinubu and Governor Alia, for their kindness and support in providing enough grains and rice for the poorest of the poor, the orphans, widows, civil servants, pensioners, and all homes in Benue for the Christmas celebration.

“This is the first time in history that Benue people are celebrating Christmas with joy, happiness and smiles. It’s shocking that a senatorial candidate in Zone C, Com. Dan Onjeh, is distributing two trailers load of 50kg assorted grains along with cash support, while serving National Assembly members are busy distributing 1kg and 2 Kg of rice and in most cases, not even sharing anything to the people,” stated Hon. Ugwu.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Ode Agbo, a native of Otukpo, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and Governor Alia for extending the kind gesture to Benue South during the festive season. He also thanked Com. Daniel Onjeh for offering himself for the selfless service to his people.

While Com. Onjeh supported the logistic cost of redistributing the palliatives to the various local government areas across Benue South with the sum of One Million Naira; the Benue State Commissioner for Water Resources and Environment, Hon. Ogwu, equally supported the cause with the sum of Two Hundred Thousand Naira.

Other dignitaries present at the event were the former Chairman, Otukpo Local Government Area, and also a former state Chairman of the defunct ANPP, Chief Godwin Ukpoju; the Caretaker Committee Chairman for Apa Local Government and ALGON Chairman of Benue South, Hon. Ochayi Alidu; and the Caretaker Committee Chairman for Ogbadibo Local Government, Hon. Joseph Okoh, to mention but a few.