Fuel Subsidy Removal: Governor Soludo rolls out Palliatives measures

The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has announced strategic steps his government is commencing immediately to cushion the harsh effects of the fuel subsidy removal on citizens of Anambra.

Soludo, who made the announcement in a statewide broadcast, said the palliatives being rolled out by his administration, targets the total population in the state.

Among these palliatives, the Governor noted, will include salary increments and monthly cash awards of N12,000 to all civil servants as well as pensioner in the state.

The governor announced that the government will be distributing rice to over 300,000 households in the coming weeks across the 326 wards in Anambra.

“In our foresighted response to the rising inflation, our government had increased the salaries of all public servants by 10% effective January 2023. We have been paying the 10% adjustment since January 2023.

 “We will continue to clear the backlog of gratuity and pension of our pensioners. Recall that we met 4-year pension and gratuity arrears when we assumed office, which we have been paying since assumption of office,” the governor said.

Soludo further announced tax exemptions for the very low-income earners, 20% reduction in taxes of transporters in the state, as well as revealed plans to procure CNG-fueled buses, to reduce cost of intra-state transportation for all in the state.

He said, “The following highly vulnerable persons are exempted from all forms of taxation/levies: hawkers; wheel barrow and truck pushers; vulcanizers; artisans, okada drivers; petty traders with capital of less than N100,000; etc.

 “The IGR payments of all transporters – Keke, Minibus, etc are hereby reduced by 20% with effect from September 01, 2023.

 “Basic Education (primary school to JSS3) remain tuition free for all public schools. We are reviewing the plethora of other levies, fees, and charges in these schools. Before schools resume in September 2023, we shall make further announcements to sanitize the system and reduce the burden on our pupils/students and their sponsors.

 “Henceforth, we will provide free antenatal services and free delivery services to pregnant mothers in State primary health centres and general hospitals. We will announce a more comprehensive medical package for our residents, especially the senior citizens and children in our 2024 budget.

“We call on the landlords to show empathy to their tenants at this challenging moment and consider easier options for rent payment.”

Read Also: Subsidy Removal: Transport Ministry to Procure Electric Vehicles 

On transportation, the governor said the government has approved the repair/renovation of all serviceable Public Servants Staff Buses currently under the office of the Head of Service of Anambra State to facilitate the movement of public servants.

Soludo further revealed the government’s plans to embark immediately on the repair of existing and purchase of new water boats to ease transportation for our citizens in the riverine local governments.

On his administration’s agenda for the medium and long-term basis, Governor Soludo disclosed that his government recently distributed a total of 1.1 million oil palm and coconut high yielding seedlings to over 100,000 households.

The Governor revealed that he plans to sustain the distribution of one million seedlings per annum over several years in continuation of his government’s revolution to create a new palm-coconut green/industrial ecosystem that will guarantee 500,000 – 1,000,000 households earning N1.5m to N3m per annum, thereby lifting them out of poverty, create wealth and earn foreign exchange for Nigeria.

“We also expect a new industrial complex to process the products, thereby creating more jobs for our youths.

“We are getting ready to deal with the heavy flooding expected to massively affect eight local governments in Anambra soon. We have made arrangements for resettlement of Ndi Anambra living in flood-prone areas. We will take every necessary measure to ameliorate the effects on the victims.

“In the next few weeks, we will be energizing our One Youth Two Skills program by providing a mix of grant and soft loan schemes at a maximum interest rate of 9% per annum through a collaborative initiative between the Anambra State Small Business Agency (ASBA) and its partner development finance institutions. This will benefit about 4,500 of our youths who have recently completed the year-long intensive trainings, and will enable them to become entrepreneurs and employers of labour. We are rolling out about N4 billion for this project.

“We are completing the set-up and funding of the Ward-based Cooperative Initiative for micro-enterprises. We are proposing a revolving loan scheme at near zero interest rate. We are targeting over 100,000 micro businesses.

“Already we employed 5,000 teachers and over 300 medical professionals within our first 9 months in office plus thousands of youths in the security sector. We understand that the teeming unemployed youths remain a potent time bomb. We are committed to recruiting further thousands of youths as teachers for our schools and road/street sweepers and engaging youths in public works.

Soludo said the state government is constructing over 340km of roads across all the 21 local governments and also repairing some “trunk A” federal and state roads.

“Finally, we are determined to collaborate with the Federal Government to ensure that Anambra residents benefit maximally from the myriad of palliatives being rolled out by Mr. President, including providing our updated Social Register for Anambra residents to benefit from the FGN cash transfer, applying to attract a conditional grant of N50,000 to at least 1,300 nano business owners in each of the 21 LGAs of the State, supporting MSMEs and Startups in Anambra to apply for N500,000 – N1million soft loan each at 9% PA and repayable over a period of 36 months among others,” Governor Soludo ended.