Beneficiaries of Sure-P protest in Ilorin

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

Beneficiaries of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) in Kwara state on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest over alleged non-payment of three months stipends by the authorities.

The protesters in their hundred went round major streets in Ilorin,the Kwara State capital with series of placards accusing management of the scheme to pay them their salary.

They also walked to the Emir’s Palace and Federal Secretariat, Ilorin before heading to Government House, Ilorin, saying they were being owed August, September and October salaries.

To avoid break down of law and order, the state government has promised to investigate allegations levelled against the management of SURE-P.

Some inscriptions in the protesters placards include; “Save Our soul, President Jonathan”, among others unprintable ones.

The SURE-P beneficiaries said the coordinator of the scheme, Mr. Moses Ibiyemi, had politicised the scheme, adding that he only favoured some party members.

A coordinator for Isin Local Government, Hon. Bakare Adekunle also alleged that the coordinator had planned to disengage beneficiaries who are not in his party.

The coordinator of SURE-P, Mr. Moses Ibiyemi, when contacted denied owing the participants any salary stressing that the protesters were sponsored and it has political undertones.

Ibiyemi noted that no genuine SURE-P participant would join such protest adding that it was intended to paint the federal government in bad light.

The protesters, who ended their demonstration at the Government House Ilorin met the Deputy Governor, Elder Peter Kishira who called for calms, saying their message would be passed to the appropriate quarters.