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By Madu Obi
The Anambra State chapter of the South East APC Young Progressives Forum has asked Governor Chukwuma Soludo to give details of the palliatives he received on behalf of the people of the state from the federal government, saying that the governor's broadcast on the issue lacked transparency.
The national convener of the group, Comrade Paschal Candle in a statement on Wednesday said the broadcast by the governor did not address the key demands the group made earlier, which was for Prof. Soludo to state in clear terms if the said five trucks of rice the federal government distributed to each state has been received by the government of Anambra State, or if the state is still expecting the receipt of the five truckloads.
Candle said: "It is important that we track the rice Mr. Governor intends to share to 300,000 households and the quantity.
"If the rice is from the federal government, it is very important to let our people know so that the state government will not claim it came from the state coffers."
"So, we are insisting that Governor Soludo categorically affirms or denies receipt of the five truckloads of rice from the FG."
"Any attempt to shy away from making such a simple clarification raises grounds for suspicion of potential corrupt practices because the state government may surreptitiously include cost of rice freely given to the state as part of the expenses the Anambra State government made to provide palliatives."
"Secondly, the address by the governor did not make mention in any way, the N5 billion worth of food palliatives the federal government is extending to Anambra State, which is meant to procure 100,000 bags of rice, 40,000 bags of maize and fertilisers."
"This is highly suspicious. What will it take Governor Soludo to just mention in his address that FG is giving states N5 billion as part of palliatives to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal like other states have done if not for a suspicious motive of keeping Anambra people in the dark?
"We therefore call on Governor Soludo to be open to Ndi Anambra and tell us about the N5 billion additional FG food palliatives and how he intends to use it. "That is the barest minimum we expect from Mr. Governor.
"This is important because we know that part of the N5 billion Naira (48%) is a loan to Anambra and Ndi Anambra deserve to know any loan the Governor is incurring on their behalf and how it is utilized.
"Gov. Soludo should have also announced to Ndi Anambra in his address how he intends to compile the social register for Anambra, which will form the basis for the cash transfer to the most vulnerable using the $800 million World Bank loan.
"We suggested ways to make the list comprehensive and non-partisan, but Mr. Governor was silent on the mode of compiling the register, which further solidifies our suspicion that the governor wants to fill the social register with mainly APGA members and supporters."
On the increase of the salaries of public servants by 10% effective January 2023, Candle said the state's workers have been paying the adjustment since January 2023.
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