A three-day public holiday has been declared by Muhammad Umar Bago, the Niger State Governor, for the distribution of palliatives to the various wards, units across the 25 local government areas of the state.
The governor, who made this disclosure at a median press briefing in Minna on the modality adoption for the distribution of the palliatives, announced Wednesday, Thursday and Friday next week as public holidays.
The governor, who explained that the state civil servants in Niger State will shut down governance for three days in the state, also directed all political appointees, including permanent secretaries and local government council chairpersons who are members of standing committees set up by the state government, to return to their wards and units for the distribution of palliatives.
The governor further announced that so far, the sum of N2bn with five trucks of rice has already been received from the federal government. At the same time, 40 bags of maise and additional N2b are being awaited, while warning that anyone caught diverting palliatives meant for the people would be jailed as a deterrent to others.
He said, “The sum of N3.2bn will be disbursed to the 25 LGs as palliatives next Monday, adding that N5.2bn will be injected into local markets next week to boost economic activities in the state.”