By Mu’azu Abubakar Albarkawa, Kaduna
Kaduna, August 22, 2023 – Today, Governor Uba Sani held a press conference at the Government House, where he unveiled a comprehensive palliative support program aimed at assisting the most vulnerable and impoverished residents of Kaduna. The initiative, mainly focused on providing foodstuff, aims to benefit 210,000 households, reaching a total of 1,050,000 individuals.
The primary beneficiaries of this program are people living with disabilities, widows, orphanage homes, the elderly, and internally displaced persons. Governor Uba Sani expressed his commitment to ensuring that those who are most in need receive the necessary support during these challenging times.
To ensure effective distribution, the committee responsible for developing the modalities for the program is chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe. The committee comprises leaders from labor and trade union congress, market women associations, traders association, and religious leaders. Their collective expertise and diverse perspectives will help ensure the equitable allocation of resources.
Governor Uba Sani also revealed that in the program’s second phase, the Kaduna State Government plans to provide additional support such as free transportation, grants to small traders and businesses, fertilizers to smallholder farmers, and free train services from Zaria to Kaduna, Sabon Tasha, and Kafanchan.
It is worth noting that the state has allocated 2 billion naira from the 5 billion naira grant offered by the federal government specifically for food items in this initial phase of the palliative support program. Governor Uba Sani stressed the importance of this initiative in mitigating the impact of the removal of petroleum subsidies implemented by the current administration. Notably, leaders from various labor and trade unions have expressed their support for these measures aimed at cushioning the effects of the policy change.
