FG palliatives sheer wastes of resources, insulting – Justice, financial expert, Anglican Bishop 

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By Akpan David, Calabar 

Three eminent Nigerians, including a legal luminary, Justice Osai Ahiakwo, the Anglican Bishop of Calabar Diocese, Prof Nneoyi Egbe as well as Prof Busari Shaamsuddeen Akande, the Director-General of Non- Interest Finance Professionals of West Africa, have insisted that the food commodity palliatives being distributed by the federal government to families in the country are complete wastes of national resources and insulting.

They spoke in separate interviews in Calabar. 

The federal government had announced the provision of palliatives to Nigerians to cushion effects of the fuel subsidy removal in May this year.

The Anglican Bishop simply said, “Palliatives are an insult to Nigerians’ sensibilities!”

Justice Ahiakwo said palliatives are another wasteful task which the President Bola Tinubu administration has embarked on.

“Another wasteful policy is the illusive distribution of palliatives arising from the removal of fuel subsidy. The palliatives and loans received are estimated at #3.27trn. thereby increasing the nation’s debt profile.”

In his opinion, Akande who is also Secretary of Council of the American Chartered Institute of Management and Leadership based in  State of Kentucky, said, “The palliatives are simply a waste of resources.  The problem with some of our government policies is that, they imitate foreign policies wrongly and blindly.”

“Distribution of government cash palliative is known since the 16th century as basic income. The general idea is for the government to give every citizen a regular infusion of free money with no benefits. 

“But to Nigerian government, it’s generating so much financial loss and uncertainty because such stimulus failed to meet the needs of millions going by the recent Covid 19 palliatives experience,” he said.

Akande said, in a country like Iran which runs a nationwide unconditional cash transfer programme, they focus on boosting happiness, health, school attendance while reducing crime but he said in Nigeria, it is different.