Akawor Heads Rivers Fuel Palliative Distribution Committee

Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Desmond Akawor, has been appointed by the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, to chair the committee set up to distribute the federal government cash and rice palliatives sent to Rivers State.
Governor Fubara during the inauguration of the committee confirmed that the state government had received the sum of N2Billion from the federal government and 16,800 bags of rice from Nigerian Governors’ Forum as part of the palliatives to help the poorest of the poor deal with the biting effect of the fuel subsidy removal.
Fubara said, “The country is at a crossroads because of the removal of subsidy, which has brought much hardship in the lives and businesses of virtually everyone.
“For that reason, states, the federal government and other well-meaning individuals are providing succour under the circumstance. In that order, the NGF in their bid to alleviate the situation, decided to distribute to each state, about 16,800 bags of rice.”
“We are also in receipt of N2Billion, which is part of the relief measure. It is not just about sharing money, but applying it to something that will touch the lives of those that are in dire need, those going through much pressure at this particular moment. We will come up with a decision very soon, and we will give your (Committee) directive on what to do when the time comes.”
On modalities for fair sharing of the rice, Sir Fubara charged, “the rice is not about party, it is about the state. We thought it wise and proper to bring in all the Local Government (LG) chairmen, since you represent your respective areas. You are not the LG chairman of the PDP, but the LG Chairman of your entire LGA.”
“I won’t tell you what to do, but I think it should be a communal formula. My major charge to you is to ensure that in the course of discharging this duty, don’t tag it party. Though it may not solve the entire problem, it will touch those who really need this support,” the governor charged.
Fubara said the choice of Akawor to preside over the sharing of the palliatives had nothing to do with his being the state PDP chairman. “It is not because he is PDP Chairman, but because he is quite knowledgeable in handling these kinds of assignments and he does them very well.
“This is a call to service. Take it as a very serious assignment, as whatever you are doing will definitely rub off on us as a government.”
Akawor said the committee would take the assignment as a sacred duty given the pains that the people were going through now because of the inflation caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.
“For our state, we have already been doing this through various channels to alleviate the sufferings of our people .We give you one assurance; we will not disappoint you,” he said.