The announcement by Professor Babagana Zulum, Borno State Governor, to subsidise cost of petroleum products in the state will be of greater benefit to farmers. It will particularly bring relief to those of them impacted by insurgency. Professor Zulum had said that he was going to bring down the cost of petrol per litre to N600. That will be a gain per litre of between N400 N600 per litre.
Zulum announced the subsidy in Bama town when he flagged off the distribution of farm inputs to over 5,000 farmers hitherto displaced by Boko Haram insurgents. According to the governor, a litre of petrol sold between N1,000 and N1,200 in Maiduguri will be subsidised to the farmers for N600. This is aimed at alleviating the financial burdens faced by farmers in communities that have suffered economic and infrastructural destruction due to years of conflict.
Zulum emphasised that a similar initiative implemented in Damasak, Mobar Local Government Area, last year has significantly increased food production and improved livelihoods.
“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 the government will procure petroleum products and sell them 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 sha Allah, henceforth for irrigation farmers this season a litre of petrol will be sold at the rate of N600,”
He said, “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.”
The farm inputs distributed include 2000 bags of blended NPK fertiliser, 1000 units of water pumps, and 620 units of gasoline pumps. According to him, other materials include 380 units of solar water pumps, 1000 units of sprayers, 800 rolls of 2-inch flexible hoses, and 1000 litres of pesticides and seeds, among other items.
Zulum also used the opportunity to express gratitude to the federal government for the tremendous support given to his administration in reconstructing and resettling communities affected by insurgency.