Borno State Governor Babagana Zulumu has announced a subsidy of N600 per litre for farmers in communities affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.
The announcement was made on Friday evening during the distribution of farm inputs to over 5,000 farmers displaced by Boko Haram insurgents in Bama town.
Zulum said 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.
“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 inshallah, 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 quoted the governor.
He stated that Zulum delivered agricultural products such as 2000 bags of blended NPK fertiliser, 1000 water pumps, and 620 petrol pumps.
According to him, other components include 380 solar water pumps, 1000 sprayers, 800 rolls of 2-inch flexible hoses, and 1000 litres of insecticides and seeds, among others.
He said Zulum thanked the federal government for its tremendous support of his administration’s efforts to rebuild and resettle insurgency-affected areas.
