Kaduna Govt Unveils Plans For Free Bus, Train Services As Long-Term Palliatives…

The Kaduna State Government has unveiled a comprehensive palliative support programme designed to help cushion the negative impact of the removal of petrol subsidies on residents of the state.

Governor Uba Sani made the disclosure on Tuesday during a joint media briefing, where the initiative was unveiled with the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Suleiman, and other members of the palliative committee comprising representatives of organised labour and civil society organisations.

According to Sani, 210,000 indigent households, totalling 1,050,000 vulnerable persons will benefit from the N2 billion palliative fund so far released by the Federal Government to the state.

The governor also announced that the implementation of the palliatives intervention would be executed in three phases, starting with the distribution of food items to poor and vulnerable households.

The second and third phases will include the procurement of free buses to ease transportation challenges, supporting farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises with fertilisers and incentives to boost their businesses. 

According to Governor Sani, the remaining two phases of the palliative intervention will take care of transportation and assistance to smallholder farmers; micro, small and medium-scale enterprises; as well as the resuscitation of train services across the three senatorial districts of Kaduna State, which he believes are key to cushion the sufferings of the people.