From Tahir Muhammad, Dutse.

Residents of Bauchi, Gombe and Jigawa state's have expressed concern over an alleged diversion of the Federal Government’s 20-truck rice palliative.

They also decried the hoarding and hijacking of FG’s palliatives by government and ruling party officials in the states.

Investigations by our Correspondent has revealed that the federal government has allocated 20 trucks of rice and other packages to the 36 state governments as part of palliative measures to cushion the rising cost of living in the country.

The FG’s palliative include food items, inputs and cash grants to the vulnerable as well as the introduction of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles, to check hikes in transport fares and ease the movement of goods and services.

A cross-section of Nigerians who spoke in separate interviews with NAN in Bauchi, Gombe and Dutse, alleged diversion of the FG’s palliative by the respective state governments.

In Dutse, the Jigawa capital, the residents accused political leaders for the diversion of palliative meant for the vulnerable and poor families.

Alhaji Muhammadu Hamza accused the state officials saddled with the responsibilities of distributing the palliative only to their supporters.

“We did not receive any item after symbolic distribution of the palliative by the government officials,” he said.

"Malam Sani Muazu, a resident of Bauchi, said they had not received the rice allocated to the state by the federal government.

He said the delays in the distribution of palliative worsen the food crisis facing the vulnerable and poor households in the state.

Mu’azu urged the state government to begin distribution of the FG’s rice in earnest, to cushion the effect of the rising cost of living.

Corroborating Mu’azu; Mr Garba Jinjiri, the Chairman, Bauchi State Network of Civil Society Organizations (BASNEC), decried the non-engagement of civil society groups in the FG’s rice distribution committee.

“Initially, we were members of the distribution committee but now they removed us. So, I can’t say anything about the distribution exercise, they removed us and we don’t know anything about it.

“I know, there are 70 trucks of fertilisers that arrived in Bauchi, and there are other trucks of commodities that arrived which I can’t ascertain and none of our members are inclusive in all these affairs.

“The state governor has a heart for the people, and he may not be aware of what is happening.

“He has a clear motive that every deserving person should get it but his lieutenants are not transparent.

“They removed us because we cannot see things and keep quiet. So, I can’t tell you anything about these materials now,” the Chairman said.

Commenting, a senior official of the Bauchi State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said the state was yet to receive its allocation of the FG’s rice.

According to the official, apart from the FG’s intervention, the state government has been distributing palliatives received from agencies and other donors.

“The state government is working tirelessly to ensure

that when the rice is received, it will be distributed to the vulnerable as soon as possible,” the official said.

In the same vein; Mrs Audu Alheri and Musa Ahmed, residents of the Gombe metropolis, alleged that the bags of rice donated by the federal government had not been distributed to them.

“The federal government has tried to reduce the hardship by donating rice but the state government denied receiving it.

“The question is where did other states get the rice they are sharing to the people, and if the federal government gave them, why will Gombe be left out?

“It is either the state government is hoarding or it doesn’t want to share the rice,” she alleged.

Also, Yusuf Ibrahim, Chairman, Gombe Network of Civil Society (GONET), said there were questions on transparency with regards to palliative procurement and distribution at all levels.

Ibrahim, however, commended the state government for the distribution of palliative to vulnerable persons, groups and organisations.

He further called for proactive measures to ensure that the process is transparent and accountable to the people.

Reacting, Ismaila Uba-Misilli, the Director-General, Press Affairs, Government House, Gombe, dismissed as “misleading” insinuations alleging diversion of FG’s rice in the state.

He said that apart from the FG’s rice, the Inuwa Yahaya administration had distributed assorted food items to 420,000 vulnerable persons in the state.

Uba-Misili stressed that the state government was not hoarding the palliative; adding that, “if we are hoarding you wouldn’t see these palliative being distributed.

“And you can see that it is clearly marked FG’s palliative, and so it is not that the state government is rebranding them.

“It has been distributed, and whatever we get from the federal government are being distributed accordingly.

“Whatever the federal government allocated to us, it has been distributed to the most vulnerable citizens including organisations, unions, associations and persons with disabilities in the state,” he said.