By Edidiong Williams

The most commonly used word apart from covid-19, in recent times is palliative. Quite ridiculous is the fact that palliative is considered by some people to mean poverty alleviation or empowerment programme, hence the recent controversy and misleading information about the effort of government in helping people in the state.

Palliative is simply a measure to cushion the effect of a thing, and not total solution. It suggests lending a helping hand; assisting; supporting or adding to, all in an attempt to lessen the effect of something.

In the present situation, the effort of government, corporate organizations, religious bodies, good spirited individuals, etc. is to help assist individuals who are really affected by the lockdown, as all fingers are not the same.

Such effort is considered to be out of the goodwill of those who initiated it, and it is ungratefulness of the highest order to try to dictate to the individual what the palliative should look like.

These days, the social media have been awashed with pictures of people posing with what appears to two cups of rice or garri, and tagged as palliative from Akwa Ibom State government. Such posts are painted with textual elements attempting to ridicule and abuse the present administration. This is indeed preposterous.

Palliative is not poverty alleviation programme as earlier established, but a support to people who are not able to fetch their daily meals as a result of the lockdown.
We have seen those who are able to do, atleast have what it takes to support their immediate families, calling on the governor to give them food. This is laughable. Even if the governor gives every house a bag of rice, which is not even practicable considering the present state of economy, people will still complain.

For record purpose, Gov. Udom Emmanuel out of his magnanimity has donated more than 500 bags of food items each to all Local Government Areas of the state. In addition to that, good spirited individuals and public office holders have also contributed their quota to help the poor masses feel less "pain" occasioned by the national lockdown.

While blaming the governor for not doing enough, one should know that members of the palliative distribution committee in all the LGAs are drawn from all parties, including religious leaders, traditional rulers, youth leaders, women groups, etc. No one would expect the governor to directly monitor the distribution. Who does that?

Instead of pouring insults, we should all pray for this to be over. Akwa Ibomites had never depended on any one for their daily meal. A typically Akwa Ibom person is hard working, and always ensure that there is food in the family, no matter how poor the person is considered to be.

All citizens must as a matter of importance adhere to laid down precautionary measures. We will all come out of this strong.

Government's effort should be applauded, while praying for God to help all of us.

Lol.

Even some clowns who used to scream "30k BMC" have joined the train of the extremely poor insulting Buhari because of 5k.

They are even suggesting a very efficient way the govt can pay out the cash, such as BVN lol. Laff want commot my teeth.

A country with a population of almost 200 million and less than 80 million having bank acc, that is the suggestion they are providing for the govt. I was so happy when the govt gave a very good condition for benefiting from the so called cash transfer. There is a maximum amount that must have passed through your bank account within some period before you can benefit.

Annoyingly, if the govt is even buoyant enough to pay these clowns some good money, they will still turn around and start asking why not $1200 as was done by US.

I hope the real needy get paid some token as ee pray for the end of this pandemic.

[s]

Simplyleo:
Lol.

Even some clowns who used to scream "30k BMC" have joined the train of the extremely poor insulting Buhari because of 5k.

They are even suggesting a very efficient way the govt can pay out the cash, such as BVN lol. Laff want commot my teeth.

A country with a population of almost 200 million and less than 80 million having bank acc, that is the suggestion they are providing for the govt. I was so happy when the govt gave a very good condition for benefiting from the so called cash transfer. There is a maximum amount that must have passed through your bank account within some period before you can benefit.

Annoyingly, if the govt is even buoyant enough to pay these clowns some good money, they will still turn around and start asking why not $1200 as was done by US.

I hope the real needy get paid some token as ee pray for the end of this pandemic.

[/s]