Bauchi Govt Denies Spending N5bn On Foodstuff, Refreshment

Bauchi State government has denied a recent report published in some online platforms that it spent over N5 billion on foodstuff and refreshment in 2023, describing the report as twisting obvious facts in order to create sensational but deliberate falsehood and mislead the public.

A press release by the Government House said the report that the state government spent over N5 billion on foodstuff and refreshments than the combined budget for provision of water facilities, education and health services is false and mischievous. It is a figment of the imagination of the writer.

In the statement signed by the special adviser on media and publicity to the governor, Comrade Mukhtar Gidado, the government said the authors made no attempt whatsoever to crosscheck or seek further explanation with the relevant government departments to ensure a fair and balanced reportage.

Mukhtar said arising from the removal of petroleum subsidy and the associated hardship, the federal government and the various state governments had agreed to take action to mitigate the sufferings of the people.

He said, “The federal government announced the arrangement to provide each state with N5 billion, under a structured loan and grant facility, to acquire food items for distribution to citizens as palliatives to ameliorate their sufferings as an emergency intervention. It is also a fact that only N2 billion was ultimately disbursed by the federal government.

“Under the arrangement, states were to purchase 100,000 bags of rice, 40,000 bags of maize and fertilizers to cushion the effect of food shortage that had arisen. Additionally, 180 trucks of rice were to be distributed by the Central Bank of Nigeria with a call for individual states to augment such arrangements in order to expand the benefits to a greater number of citizens.

“In view of the disbursement of only N2 billion, the state had purchased 88,889 bags of rice of 25kg and had released additional funding of N2 billion for the procurement of additional quantities of grains as well as settlement of outstanding gratuities and leave grants to civil servants to provide further succor.

“The distribution was successfully carried out across the state to the satisfaction of the citizens with a wide coverage among the needy segments of the society. This exercise was conducted across all the states with varying quantities of foodstuff and materials distributed. It is surprising that the exercise in Bauchi will be isolated and reported negatively and mischievously.”