Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has targeted 300,000 vulnerable households for the distribution of palliatives to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

With the estimate of six persons per household, the palliatives are expected to reach about 1.8 million vulnerable persons from Muna, Cross Kauwa, Doro Baga and Gwoza, a border community with Cameroun.

While distributing the palliatives, yesterday, in Maiduguri, the governor, said: “Today’s distribution of food items is to cushion the hardship caused by the recent removal of subsidy on petrol by the Federal Government,” noting that most of the beneficiaries are victims of the 14-year terrorism in the North East.

According to him, the distributed items comprise 25,000 bags each of rice and beans, and each of the 5,000 households is to get five bags each of beans and rice.

Besides the food items, 8,300 vulnerable women will go home with N10,000 each and a wrapper.

On the second phase, Zulum said: “The distribution of palliatives in the second phase will include the allocation and distribution of farm inputs, comprising fertilisers, improved seeds, pesticides and other agricultural facilities to boost production.

He noted that this could cushion the hardship caused by the subsidy removal that affected various sectors of the economy, pushing up cost of living.