The Ondo State Government said it has set up a nine-man committee on palliatives that will work out the strategies to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal in the state.

The government said the constitution of the committee was part of the decision taken at the state executive council meeting held on Thursday in Akure, the state capital, presided over by the state Acting Governor Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The state Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Emmanuel Igbasan, disclosed this after the meeting.

According to the commissioner, the committee on the palliatives was set up to cushion the consequential effects of the fuel subsidy removal on the citizenry.

Igbasan promised that government will continue to place importance on the people’s welfare in the 18 local government areas of the state. He noted that the government was aware of the hardship caused by the fuel subsidy removal.

He said, “There would be a quick intervention in no distant time.”

Igbasan also disclosed that the committee will be headed by the Chief of Staff to the governor, Chief Olugbenga Ale.

“We took a look into the issue of the subsidy removal and its consequential effects on our people and the council decided to constitute a state committee on palliatives under the chairmanship of the chief of staff to the governor.

“Other members are the head of service and the commissioner of finance, among others. We commiserate with our people over the hardship they are facing due to the removal of the oil subsidy.

“The chairman will soon convene a meeting of the committee, the fiscal surplus and what will accrue to the state from the Federal Government from the palliative of N500 billion proposed by the president,” he said.