Onuminya Innocent
The Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, has kicked-started disbursement of N3 billion livelihood support grant to 15,000 beneficiaries across the state.
Under the programme, each beneficiary would receive N200,000 totaling N3billion.
Speaking at the ceremony in Birnin Kebbi, the governor assured of the readiness of his administration to provide necessary support and priority to achieve high impact of the objective of the scheme.
He advised the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money by investing in gainful ventures that would generate income and enable them become not only self-reliance but also employers of labour.
To ensure that the money was not diverted to different uses, the governor assured that independent verification agents from the World Bank and staff of the Ministry of Budget would monitor the utilisation of the money.
The governor further warned officials entrusted with the disbursement that the state government would not condone diversion of the funds to other means other than its original purpose.
He assured that he would continue to source for resources within and outside Nigeria to bring home for the benefit of people of the State
He used the occasion to announce that the Minister of Agriculture would be in Kebbi on Thursday to launch the distribution of solar powered water pumps to farmers.
He said the government has already procured 10,000 units of the water pumps at the cost of N700,000 per unit.
He noted that his administration would explore all avenues to subsidize cost of petrol to farmers using fuel powered water pumps aimed at consolidating the leading position of Kebbi State in rice production.
On his part, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning who is also the Chairman, Kebbi Cares steering Committee, Dr. Abba Sani Kalgo said the programme was designed to cushion the economic and social effect on the people as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic.
The Speaker Kebbi State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Usman Muhammad Ankwe, Chief Judge of the State, Justice Umar Abubakar, Grand Khadi , Sadiq Muktar, Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Yakubu Bala Tafida, Head of Service, Alhaji Sufyanu Garba Bena, Commissioners and Special Advisers witnessed the ceremony.
