The Sokoto State Governor, Dr Ahmed Aliyu, has distributed a total sum of N75m as start-up capital to 500 beneficiaries in the state.
The beneficiaries drawn from four frontline Local Government Areas of the state received N150,000 each and they include Sabon Birni, Illela, Kware and Gwadabawa.
Gov. Aliyu also flagged off the distribution of assorted farm inputs with a view to further bolstering food production in the state.
The gesture is aimed at guaranteeing food security and boosting the socio-economic development of Sokoto State.
Presenting the cash assistance to the beneficiaries, Gov. Aliyu said the gesture was aimed at ensuring that communities in the frontline local government areas are fully empowered to be self-dependent.
He said that the choice of the frontline local government areas was in consideration of the activities of bandits that had crippled their economic activities, thereby worsening the insecurity in the areas.
“It is our ardent belief that this support would help greatly in our job creation strategy, reduce idleness, restiveness and as well 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 distribution, he added, was an extension of the myriad of intervention programmes his administration had introduced in order to fight poverty, reduce youth restiveness, and idleness and create wealth among the people of the state.
Gov. Aliyu maintained that his administration had 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 an attempt 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,” the Governor said.
He added that the second component of the livelihood support was the distribution of farm inputs to 300 beneficiaries from Illela local government.
They benefited from improved seeds of onion, carrots, maize, rice, marsha pesticides and insecticides, fertilizer, sprayers as well as thrashers.
This, according to Gov Aliyu, is in addition to the various forms of agricultural support his administration had given to the masses.
They included free fertilizer, insecticides, pesticides, improved seedlings, and tiller machines, all in an attempt to make the agricultural sector very attractive.
“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.
Also speaking at the occasion, the representative of the Sultan of Sokoto and Magajn Rafin Sokoto, Lirwanu Bello, commended the state government for the programme which is aimed at further reducing unemployment and poverty among the people.
In his 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 condition.
He praised Gov. Aliyu for the two programmes and many others his administration is undertaking in order to bring meaningful development to the state, thereby creating job opportunities.
During the event, dignitaries presented cash assistance and farm implements to the beneficiaries, with a call on them to utilize them well for the benefit of their families and the society at large.
