Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has announced a petrol subsidy initiative to support farmers in communities impacted by the Boko Haram insurgency. The announcement was made on Friday in Bama town during the distribution of farm inputs to over 5,000 farmers previously displaced by the conflict.
Governor Zulum explained that the state government would subsidize petrol, which costs between N1,000 and N1,200 per litre in Maiduguri, reducing it to N600 for farmers. This measure aims to ease financial pressures on farmers in regions that have suffered extensive economic and infrastructural damage due to years of violence.
“One of the major challenges that are facing the farming communities here as regards irrigation farming is the increasing cost of fuel. As a result, I want to announce to the general public that government will procure petroleum products and sell to the farmers at a subsidised rate. A litre of petrol is being sold in Maiduguri at the cost of about N1,200 but in’shAllah, henceforth for irrigation farmers, this season, a litre of petrol will be sold at the rate of N600.
“The Commissioner for Agriculture will work with the Brigade Commander to ensure the delivery of the petroleum products to farmers in Bama town as soon as possible,” he said.
Zulum highlighted the success of a similar initiative in Damasak, Mobar Local Government Area, last year, which boosted food production and livelihoods.
In addition to the petrol subsidy, he distributed agricultural inputs such as 2,000 bags of blended NPK fertilizer, 1,000 water pumps, 620 gasoline pumps, 380 solar water pumps, 1,000 sprayers, 800 rolls of flexible hoses, 1,000 litres of pesticides, and seeds.
The governor noted his administration’s efforts in constructing over 100 tube wells for irrigation farmers and approved the construction of an additional 250.
Zulum also visited Darajama and Goniri villages in Bama Local Government Area to inspect reconstruction projects. He expressed satisfaction with the work but emphasized that his administration would not tolerate any attempts to hinder the resettlement program.
The governor expressed gratitude to the federal government for its ongoing support of Borno State’s reconstruction and resettlement efforts.
