Zulum Subsidises Petrol at N600/Litre for Farmers in Communities Affected by Insurgency
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has announced a major intervention to support farmers in communities affected by Boko Haram insurgency. The state government will be subsidizing the cost of petrol for farmers in these areas, helping to reduce the financial strain they face in the wake of years of violence and economic disruption.
At a ceremony in Bama town on Friday, where Zulum flagged off the distribution of farm inputs to over 5,000 farmers displaced by Boko Haram insurgents, he revealed that a litre of petrol, which is priced between N1,000 and N1,200 in Maiduguri, will now be sold to these farmers at a subsidized rate of N600 per litre. This move is aimed at alleviating the high costs of fuel, which has become a major challenge for irrigation farming in the affected areas.
Zulum explained that a similar initiative in Damasak, Mobar local government area, last year had yielded positive results, significantly boosting food production and improving the livelihoods of local farmers. He emphasized that the subsidized petrol would enable farmers to carry out their irrigation activities more affordably.
“The increasing cost of fuel has been one of the major challenges facing the farming communities here,” Zulum stated. “Henceforth, for irrigation farmers this season, a litre of petrol will be sold at the rate of N600.”
The governor also assured that the Commissioner for Agriculture, in collaboration with the Brigade Commander, would oversee the distribution of the petroleum products to farmers in Bama town as soon as possible.
In addition to the petrol subsidy, the governor distributed a range of essential farm inputs to support the return of displaced farmers. These included 2,000 bags of blended NPK fertilizer, 1,000 units of water pumps, 620 gasoline pumps, 380 solar water pumps, 1,000 sprayers, 800 rolls of flexible hose, 1,000 litres of pesticides, and seeds, among other items.
Governor Zulum highlighted that his administration has already constructed over 100 tube wells to support irrigation farming and has approved the construction of an additional 250 tube wells.
During his visit, the governor also assessed the ongoing reconstruction projects in Darajama and Goniri villages, expressing satisfaction with the progress but emphasizing that his administration would not tolerate any attempts to sabotage its resettlement efforts.
Zulum also expressed gratitude to the federal government for its support in rebuilding and resettling communities affected by the insurgency.
