Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has confirmed the delivery of the federal government’s 20 trucks of 25kg bags of rice and 90 trucks of fertiliser for onward distribution to the state’s vulnerable citizens and farmers.
Zulum made the confirmation yesterday in the Monguno local government area of the state, where he distributed N10,000 cash each and wrappers to 45,000 women, 25kg bags of rice from the federal government, and 10kg bags of beans as input to farmers to 35,000 male heads of households.
The governor had on Saturday travelled to Monguno, one of the local government areas of the northern part of the state that suffered several attacks from the Boko Haram insurgency, and profiled the beneficiaries of the palliatives before commencing the distribution the following day to about five local government areas that are taking refuge in the super camps there.
He said,” I want to acknowledge the receipt of 20 trucks of rice and 90 trucks of fertilisers from the federal government. I am here to bear witness to all donated items being distributed.
“On behalf of the people and government of Borno State, I want to appreciate the support of the federal government and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to the deserving communities. This is not the first time Borno has received palliatives from the federal government. It is a continuous affair. ”
The governor noted that Borno being the most severely affected state in the North East region in the Boko Haram insurgency, distribution of palliatives is not meant to create dependency but to support the communities to engage in farming.
“We are now in the rainy season, and people don’t have the capacity to procure farm inputs, so the 10kg bags of beans added to the 25kg bags of rice given to 35,000 male households are to support them in farming,” he said.
The senator representing Southern Borno Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, who recently replaced Sen. Ndume as the Senate’s chief whip, commended the federal government for its support of the palliatives, adding that the items will go a long way in cushioning the effect of the hardship on the people.
Monguno also commended Governor Zulum, whom he said has worked tirelessly to ensure that people not only return to their communities to pick up the pieces of their lives but have also been to Monguno uncountable times to distribute palliatives to the people.
“It is a demonstration that the governor is very much concerned about the needs of his people. I urge the people to be patient as the government rolls out more programmes that will address their challenges,” Monguno said.
