The 36 Nigerian state governors received additional N1,080 billion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to tackle food scarcity and hardships facing Nigerians.
A breakdown shows that each state governor received N30 billion for the programme.
Straightnews learnt that President Bola Tinubu might have released the money after a meeting with the state governors and Federal Capital Territory minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike held seven days ago over the rising cost of living in the country.
The Nigerian Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio said the newly released funds for the state governors are different from their monthly allocation, and urged them not to divert the funds for another course different from solving foodstuff scarcity.
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Akpabio who said this during one of the plenary sessions of the federal lawmakers described the several protests held in some major cities in the country against rising hunger and hardship as sponsored by political stakeholders.
He said, “We can see a lot of protests here and there. Most of those sponsored protests are not aware of the kind of efforts being made by this Senate to tackle the situation together with a joint management team of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
‘‘I must say that unverified report has it that each of the state government in the last few months has received additional N30 billion from Federal Inland Revenue Service, outside their normal allocation from the federation account to assist them in ameliorating the food situation.
‘‘We believed that every state government should utilise the funds so received towards ensuring that food is available. This Senate will not rubber stamp anything that will feel is not with the interest of Nigeria,” the Senate President added.
