From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has begun distributions of bags of rice and beans to 100,000 households as part of the Federal Government palliatives to cushion the impact of petrol subsidy removal on the people.
Zulum while flagging off the distributions at a camp for displaced Boko Haram victims, said each of the 100,000 households would get a bag of rice and beans.
“We are here to flag off the distribution of palliative to 100,000 less privileged people in Borno State in addition to the 300,000 house heads which the Borno State government started,” Zulum announced who also said the release of N5 billion by the Federal Government would reduce the hardship citizens were experiencing following subsidy removal and high cost of living.
He said government added beans to the food items to ensure the people get protein.
Responding to why he has been engaged with food distributions since becoming governor in 2019, Zulum said the devastation in the state caused by Boko Haram insurgency promoted him to embark on massive palliative distributions.
“This region had been devasted by Boko Haram insurgency. People were displaced from their homes and means of livelihood and communities were destroyed. So, the only way we can do to our people is to provide humanitarian supports,” he explained.
He said he was concentrating on the severely affected areas like Bama, Dikwa, Ngala, Kukawa, Gwoza, Kala Balge, Matte, Abadam and Malam Fatori, for regular food distribution due to the challenge of the people to access their farmlands
About 2,000 households per wards in the state capital would benefit from the palliative distributions, the governor said.
Bags of rice and beans were ready for pick up at Bakassi IDPs camp Maiduguri, yesterday.