Gombe Governor Earmarks N8.5bn As COVID-19 Palliative

As part of efforts to cushion the effects of COVID-19 in Gombe State, Governor Inuwa Yahaya has earmarked the sum of N8.5 billion to support 288, 700 farmers, business men and households whose businesses were affected by the pandemic.

The governor announced this while launching the Gombe COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (GO-CARES) programme in Yamaltu/Deba local government area of the state.

He said the programme aligned with his administration’s human capital development initiative, adding that it was specifically designed to expand access to livelihood support, food security and provide succour for poor and vulnerable persons in communities whose means of livelihood had been distorted by the pandemic.

He said the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and livelihood of the people was enormous and that government needed to come to the aid of the affected persons.

According to him, N3.4 billion would be given from the budgeted amount to support poor and vulnerable households with grants and basic services while another N3.4 billion would be used to support farmers with farm inputs in order to increase food production and enhance performance of the food supply value chain.

“The sum of N1.7 billion will be disbursed as grants to MSMEs to support their operations and help them recover from the huge losses suffered during the pandemic,” he said.