The Ekiti state government has rolled out palliative
measures to cushion the effects of the petrol subsidy removal on residents.
In July, Biodun Oyebanji, the governor, directed a three-man
committee to meet with the leadership of organised labour to finalise proposals
for the measures.
Speaking with journalists on Wednesday, Akintunde Oyebode,
commissioner for finance and economic development, said the government has
approved the recommendations of the committee.
Oyebode, who is the chairman of the committee, said the
palliatives cover people in the formal and informal sectors as well as the
elderly and indigent.
He said some of the palliatives include N5,000 monthly
conditional cash transfer to 10,000 poor and most vulnerable households from
August to December 2023.
Others include free shuttle buses for workers and students
to and from their places of assignments; free medical care through the EKHIS
programme (Ulera wa) for 10,000 residents and most especially the aged.
“Immediate payment of consequential adjustment of the
minimum wage to officers on grade levels 14-17; leave bonus of 2017 as well as
the implementation and payment of 2020 and 2021 promotion arrears,” he said.
“Other approval of the Governor, according to the committee
included the implementation of 90 percent CONHESS and 100 percent hazard
allowance for local government health workers as well as salary parity for
clinical staff of the Hospitals Management Board.”
Others palliatives are the distribution of food items to the
poor and most vulnerable households, distribution of inputs to farmers, as well
as financial support to small businesses and the informal sector.
Oyebode restated the commitment of the Oyebanji administration to the people of the state and
assured them that the increased revenue from the removal of petrol subsidy
would lead to improved service delivery from the government.
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