Distribution of palliatives to all segments of the society in Imo State has taken off smoothly, with retirees in particular joyfully collecting theirs and committing Governor Hope Uzodimma into God’s hands as he seeks reelection on November 11, 2023.
Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Barr. Emeka Agbor, who is also a member of the State Palliatives Sharing Committee, had flagged off the distribution of the items at the ICAPs Centre (Old Imo Newspapers premises) on Egbu Road and Government House Owerri, respectively, on Wednesday on behalf of the Committee, with different groups and communities showing up to pick their rice.
In appreciating the manner of distribution of the items, representatives of retirees such as Mrs. Grace Nwagbara (Nwangele Local Government Area), Mr. Remigius Irojiobi (Ihitte Uboma LGA) and Mr. Dennis Nwagbo (from Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education), all pensioners, thanked Governor Uzodimma for his benevolence, care and concern for the aged and the retirees in the state.
They said that this was the first time government was demonstrating care and concern about the retirees, noting that initially, they thought the idea of palliative was “one of those gimmicks”.
They thanked God and those who made it possible.
Mr. Irojiobi, who spoke on behalf of other leaders, assured that the items they collected on trust for their colleagues “will definitely reach the members they are meant for”, noting that “things are actually turning around and getting better for the pensioners”.
The grateful pensioners used the opportunity to assure Governor Uzodimma that come November 11, 2023, they would appreciate the gesture through the ballot box by voting massively for his return for a second tenure as Governor of Imo State.
Apart from leaders of the pensioners, groups from the various local government areas of the state, the Navy, the Police, the Army, Civil Defence, among others, came to pick their share of the palliatives.
Agbor appealed to the leaders in whose hands the palliatives were entrusted to ensure they are distributed equitably, insisting that “efforts should be made to accommodate the vulnerable”.
He also thanked President Tinubu and Governor Uzodimma for coming up with the palliatives at this critical period in order “to ameliorate the hardship and difficulties orchestrated by the removal of the fuel subsidy”.
He informed the leaders who came to take the allocations for their members that the warehouses containing the palliatives at Egbu Road would serve those from Owerri North, Mbaise, Ngor Okpala and others on that axis while the warehouses inside the Government House would serve local government areas such as Mbaitoli, Ikeduru, Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta, among others.
“To whom much is given, much is expected,’’ Agbor said, noting that “more palliatives are coming and where you prove yourselves capable in the sharing of the present allocation, you will be entrusted with the next phase”.
He enjoined them to be fair in the sharing and charged them to be “that person that will please God by doing the right thing” and by taking the items to the doorsteps of their challenged members.
