The Sokoto State government has distributed a total of N75million as Start-up capital to 500 beneficiaries in the State.
The beneficiaries who are drawn from four frontline Local Government Areas of the State received N150,000 each.
The Local Government Areas are; Sabon Birni, Illela, Kware and Gwadabawa.
The State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu also flagged off the distribution of assorted farm inputs with a view to bolstering food production in the State.
The objective is to guarantee food security and boost the socio-economic development of Sokoto State.
While presenting the cash assistance to the beneficiaries, Gov. Aliyu said it is aimed at ensuring that communities in the frontline Local Government Areas are fully empowered to be self dependent.
He said the choice of the frontline Local Government Areas was prompted by the activities of bandits that have crippled their economic activities, thereby worsening insecurity in the affected areas.
“It is our ardent belief that this support would help greatly in our job creation strategy, reduce idleness, restiveness as well as assist in our quest to secure our frontline Local Government Areas.
“Available statistics have shown that many of our rural dwellers ventured into the obnoxious informants’ syndrome because of the peanuts they receive from the bandits each time a ransom was paid.
“This goes to glaringly prove the popular adage that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop,” he said.
The cash assistance, he noted, is an extension of the several intervention programmes his administration has introduced to fight poverty, reduce youth restiveness, idleness and create wealth among the people of Sokoto State.
Gov. Aliyu highlighted that his administration has so far disbursed billions of Naira in providing financial support to the needy, the vulnerable as well as women and youths through the NG-Cares and SOSMEDA, in the effort to make them economically stable.
“We therefore decided to embark on this programme to make our rural communities more economically stable, especially those displaced or crippled by the activities of bandits and other forms of criminality in the state,”
He said the second component of the livelihood support was the distribution of farm inputs, including improved seedlings, pesticides, insecticides, fertilisers, sprayers and thrashers to 300 beneficiaries from Illela local government area.
This was in addition to other forms of agricultural support services his administration has given to people in the state.
“We have distributed hundreds of grinding, tailoring and knitting machines, as well as supported our women on soap, pomade and perfume making, with a view to making them gainfully employed,” Gov Aliyu added.
The representative of the Sultan of Sokoto and Magajn Rafin Sokoto, Lirwanu Bello, commended the State government for the programme which he noted is aimed at reducing unemployment and poverty among the people.
In a goodwill message, the representative of UNDP, Nuraddeen Bashar Saleh, called on the beneficiaries to judiciously utilize the cash and tools given to them to boost their living conditions.
He praised the two programmes and many others initiated by the Ahmad Aliyu administration to bring meaningful development to the State.
Editor: Ken Eseni
