Fuel Subsidy: Zulum Targets 1.8m Persons in New Phase of Palliatives

•Shares 400 resettlement houses in Molai 

•AbdulRazaq approves payment of N10,000 to students in Kwara

•Gombe governor announces further subsidy on fertilizer, takes other measures to alleviate hardship in state

•Pegs fertilizer price at N15,000 per bag

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin and Segun Awofadeji in Gombe

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has flagged off a fresh phase of palliatives which is targeting about 300,000 households with about six persons per household to reach one million and eight hundred thousand persons in need.

This comes just as in Kwara, the State Governor and Chairman Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, yesterday, directed the payment of N10,000 each to students of Kwara origin in public-owned tertiary institutions.

In Gombe, Governor Inuwa Yahaya has further subsidised the price of fertiliser to N15, 000 per bag against the initial price of N19,000, as part of efforts to alleviate the biting effects of the removal of fuel subsidy on farmers in the state.

Zulum launched the distribution of the palliatives yesterday, at Muna IDPs camp in Jere Local Government Area.

The governor explained that Borno started the initial distribution of palliative about one month ago while scaling up the exercise to key into presidential food emergency declaration.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has recently declared an emergency on food security across the country. In compliance with the declaration and to complement federal government’s efforts to alleviate the suffering caused by fuel subsidy removal, we have since rolled out a palliative distribution initiative targeting 300,000 households,” Zulum said.

He also noted that the initial distribution of palliative was conducted in Gwoza and three communities in Kukawa local government, which includes Baga, Cross Kauwa and Doron Baga.

The governor added that the initiative was aimed at reducing the hardship occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal for an average of 300,000 vulnerable families.

Under the initiative, each eligible beneficiary receives N5,000 cash, a bag of rice, a bag of beans and one wrapper (for women).

Zulum, emphasised that his administration would prioritise the welfare of the people and ensure that all measures were put in place to alleviate the hardship faced by citizens.

The governor urged citizens to give maximum support to the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that the hardship resulting from the fuel subsidy removal was temporary.

“I want to urge the people of Borno State to support the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I want you to understand that subsidy is not sustainable, we understand that people will feel the impact adversely at the initial stage, but in the long run, it will be beneficial to all of us,” Zulum said.

Also, Zulum, yesterday distributed 400 houses to vulnerable IDPs from five communities displaced by Boko Haram insurgents. The communities were Maibukarti, Jibrinti, Mainari Shuwa, Mainari Kanuri and Tilori.

The 400 houses are sited at a resettlement estate constructed by Borno State Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement. During a brief ceremony, Zulum also shared resettlement packages to the 400 households allotted the houses.

Each household got rice, maize grain, mats, wrapper and cash support.

Borno State has been at the centre of insurgency for more than a decade, but with recent victories by the Nigerian Military, Borno State Government was able to return more than one million displaced persons to the newly built resettlement houses and reconstructed communities.

AbdulRazaq Approves Payment of N10,000 Support for Students in Kwara

In a related development, Kwara State Governor, AbdulRazaq, yesterday, directed the payment of N10,000 each to students of Kwara origin in public-owned tertiary institutions.

The governor also approved a stipend of N10,000 each for some categories of security agents defined as the first line of defence, which would be disbursed through the Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP) office.

A statement issued in Ilorin by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye stated that, “The approval for students’ support, described as one-off in its scope, is a departure from the previous bursary award, which covered only final year students of tertiary schools.

“The governor had raised bursary award from the age-long N5,000 to N10,000 for final year students.

“The special support will be coordinated by a government committee to be headed by Prof. Shehu Raheem Adaramaja, Chairman of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB).”

The statement added, “He (Adaramaja) will be supported by officials from the Ministry of Tertiary Institution, bursary department, Ministry of Finance, and a representative each from the National Association of Kwara State Students (NAKSS) and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Kwara State.

“The committee will publish a web link through which all students eligible for state bursary would apply for the support within dates to be announced, filling required information and documents”.

Gombe Governor Announces Further Subsidy on Fertilizer

Gombe State governor has further subsidised the price of fertiliser that was being sold to farmers at N15, 000 per bag, as against the N19,000 it was previously.

He said the development was in line with the advisory from the National Economic Council (NEC), which had urged states to design independent responses to the subsidy removal and also come up with strategies to help boost food production in their respective state.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, who announced the new measure on behalf of Yahaya, said all state-owned fertilizer selling points/agents across the 11 local government areas are to immediately comply with the directive, adding that the sales and distribution committee should strictly sell to farmers only as a palliative.

Yahaya had on June 19, 2023, flagged off the sales of fertilizer and other farm inputs in Gombe State, with 166 Truck-loads of the commodity at a previously subsidised rate of N19,000 per bag, as against the market price of N26,000.

He had also inaugurated a committee to ensure seamless sales and distribution of fertilizers in the 114 wards across the 11 LGAs of the state to ensure that the commodity reached common farmers.

The governor recently set up a committee which went round all the LGAs and distributed food stuff to the most vulnerable as his support to bring succour to them, while the government puts machinery in motion to embark on a full scale palliative distribution. 

In the area of public transport, Yahayaa had earlier directed the state- owned transport company, Gombe Line, to put measures in place to ensure that residents are able to travel without much financial burden.