Borno State governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has flagged off the distribution of 25kg bags of rice and maize each to 52,000 vulnerable residents of Biu, Bayo, Askira-Uba, Chibok, Shani, Hawul, and Kwayarkusa local government areas of the state.
The governor also gave a cash grant of N100 million to 2,000 youth groups and women, with each beneficiary getting the sum of N50,000.
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He said the gesture was in continuation of his administration’s determination to provide food and non-food items to the vulnerable populace in the state.
Zulum said even though the southern part of Borno State was not deeply affected by the decade-old Boko Haram insurgency like other parts of the state, the government decided to bring food and non-food items considering the economic hardship the people are currently facing.
He said, “Today (Sunday), we are here to distribute food items to 52,000 vulnerable residents in seven local government areas of southern Borno. Each beneficiary would get 25kg of rice and maize. In addition to this, we are giving 50,000 each to 2,000 beneficiaries, comprising women and youth, to enable them to cultivate their farmlands.”
He urged them to maintain law and order to ensure that they benefit from the gesture.
While appreciating Governor Zulum for the gesture, the senator representing Southern Borno Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving food items worth N200 million to each senator for their constituents.
Ndume urged the beneficiaries not to sell the items, but to judiciously use them for the purpose for which the gesture was intended.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has assured the people of the Southern Borno Senatorial District that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will intervene and ensure that the planned merger of Nigerian Army University, Biu (NAUB), with the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, as recommended by the Stephen Oronsaye Report, is not carried out.
Zulum said, “By God’s grace, and with President Tinubu by our side, NAUB will continue to remain a conventional university. This is based on the meeting I had with Mr. President last Friday, who asked me to officially write to him on the matter. And I believe he (Tinubu) will act in favour of Southern Borno for NAUB to remain as it is.”