The Akwa Ibom state government’s plan to distribute 100,000 bags of rice to state residents would not ease the state’s economic hardship, some Uyo residents have said.
This oil-rich state is said to have more than five million inhabitants as of 2016.
The prices of goods and services have continued to rise in Nigeria, and many families have been thrown into poverty and severe hardship since President Bola Tinubu announced the withdrawal of the federal government’s fuel subsidy in May.
The price of gasoline at the pump is now 650 naira or more (it was 250 naira before the subsidy was removed).
“A total of 100,000 bags of rice will be distributed throughout the state. Forty bags per village for the 2,272 villages included in the bulletin and other strategic groups,” Akwa Ibom Information Commissioner Ini Ememobong said on August 31, as part of the state government intervention.
The government had approved 2 billion naira in financial support for government workers and pensioners.
“Fridays will become a ticketless day for transport operators and market traders in all local government areas until December 2023.” Mr. Ememobong said.
The government also approved the payment of a 10,000 naira scholarship to university students of Akwa Ibom origin at all public tertiary institutions in Nigeria and the distribution of free exercise books to primary and secondary schools in the state.
“Discussions on means of transport such as CNG buses and electric taxis are ongoing to ensure effective, efficient and sustainable deployment,” the commissioner said.
‘Not interested’
In separate interviews with a Newslodge reporter on Monday, some Uyo residents said state government intervention would not offer people significant help.
“We have seen government interventions through palliatives before, but the impact is always minimal. Random and disorganized palliative measures rarely help the situation,” said Daniel Nweke, a trader in auto parts.
“So I’m not interested in this guy,” he added.
He advised the state government to create access to credit for small businesses in the state.
Uduak Godwin, a periwinkle vendor at Itam Market, said other food items, not just rice, are necessary on the families’ food menu and therefore it would not make much sense to distribute rice to residents.
“The real solution to the difficulties we are facing is to bring the price of fuel back to 250 naira (per litre),” he said.
Ms. Godwin spoke about how rising fuel prices have affected her business.
“I used to buy a bag (of periwinkles) for 7,500 naira, but today I buy it for more than 20,000 naira. Even to pick up the bag of winkles, I pay up to 1,500 naira for the waybill, compared to 600 or 700 naira I used to pay,” he said.
Jennifer Edoho, a fashion designer in Uyo, said her business is heavily reliant on electricity and with no national grid power supply, she had settled for a generator set, forcing her to buy gasoline. frequently.
He had to increase customer charges to offset the high cost of fuel, which negatively affected business as patronage dropped sharply, he told Newslodge.
The situation forced her to reduce her charges. “Basically no profit (for me),” Ms Edoho said.
Salvador Jack, a student at the University of Uyohe advised Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno to look for a sustainable solution such as making education affordable instead of paying 10,000 naira as a scholarship, which he said he was not even sure he could get.
“They should reduce school fees and offer scholarships to underprivileged students.”
Pay raise, not rice
Aminigbo Paul, a software developer in Uyo, said the challenge of providing electricity for his tech business in the city has “exhausted” him and reduced his productivity.
James Agbom, a resident of Uyo, said: “Sharing rice and relief materials is not the answer to the problem we are facing right now.
“Let’s start with how the government intends to determine who are the poorest of the poor in the country; What are the parameters? My fear is that the people who need these things the most won’t get them and at the end of the day it will still be the same old story.”
Agbom said that sharing rice and other items with residents was not sustainable and that people would continue to suffer from the removal of the subsidy.
“I’m not particularly interested in the rice or other materials you want to share. After collecting five cups of rice and cooking it, what will happen tomorrow? I think making fuel easy to buy right now is what we need and not a palliative,” said a small trader, Monica Silas, adding that her business has been experiencing low patronage since the fuel subsidy was removed. .
“I have to pay the rent and pay other bills, but there is no money,” he said.
Hamza Osaro, a pediatrician, said he would prefer a salary increase over receiving rice from the government.
Mfon Sam, a university student in Uyo, said she sometimes missed classes due to lack of money for transportation to school.
“I was happy about the 10,000 naira scholarship for students, but when I found out that we needed to register with 1,000 naira in order to get it, I just gave up.
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“The money that my parents send me goes for my food and it’s not even enough. N10,000 can’t do anything for me right now. Let the government subsidize the price of fuel and transportation, please.
“There are rumors about the increase in our fees; I just pray it’s not true. If this happens, the government should know that it would have denied Nigerian students the right to education,” he added.