Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has announced a subsidy on petrol for farmers in communities severely affected by Boko Haram insurgency. The initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden on farmers and boost agricultural activities in the conflict-hit region.
The governor made the announcement on Friday evening in Bama town while launching the distribution of farm inputs to over 5,000 farmers previously displaced by insurgents. Under the subsidy plan, petrol, which costs between N1,000 and N1,200 per litre in Maiduguri, will be sold to farmers at N600 per litre.
“One of the major challenges facing farming communities, especially for irrigation farming, is the high cost of fuel. To address this, the government will procure petroleum products and sell them to farmers at a subsidised rate,” Zulum stated.
The governor directed the Commissioner for Agriculture to collaborate with the Brigade Commander to ensure timely delivery of the subsidised fuel to farmers in Bama town.
This initiative follows a similar programme implemented in Damasak, Mobar Local Government Area, last year, which significantly enhanced food production and improved livelihoods.
Beyond the fuel subsidy, Zulum distributed extensive farm inputs to the farmers. These included:
- 2,000 bags of blended NPK fertiliser
- 1,000 water pumps
- 620 gasoline pumps
- 380 solar water pumps
- 1,000 sprayers
- 800 rolls of 2-inch flexible hose
- 1,000 litres of pesticides and various seeds
The governor revealed that his administration had already constructed over 100 tube wells for irrigation farmers and approved the construction of an additional 250 tube wells to support agricultural development further.
During his visit, Zulum also inspected reconstruction projects in Darajama and Goniri villages under Bama Local Government. Expressing satisfaction with the quality of the ongoing work, he emphasized his administration’s commitment to resettlement efforts and warned against any sabotage of the initiative.
Zulum extended his gratitude to the federal government for its continued support of the state’s reconstruction and resettlement agenda, which aims to restore normalcy and economic stability to communities devastated by insurgency.
