Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has said 1,050,000 poor and vulnerable citizens, representing 210,000 households, would benefit from the immediate palliative plans in the state.

At a briefing to unveil his administration’s palliative plans, the governor said the state received the first tranche of N2 billion out of the N5 billion promised by the Federal Government.

In the medium and long term, he also said, the state plans to roll out free transportation and revive the abandoned locomotive train system in the state to run from Zaria to Kaduna and to Kafanchan.

According to the governor, who was flanked at the press briefing by his deputy, Hadiza Balarabe, other senior government officials and labour leaders, said: “We target about 1,050,000 poor and vulnerable citizens, representing 210,000 households.

“The Federal Government promised to give the state N5 billion, which will serve as both grant and loan. But as of today, N2 billion has been given to Kaduna and that is what we are using right now to ensure that we come up with something for the poor, underserved and vulnerable, who have been suffering the removal of the fuel subsidy, in our state.”

The committee headed by the deputy governor, with all the labour unions, market women and People With Disabilities (PWDs) represented, he added, sat down and worked out the modalities to spend the N2 billion.

He stated: “We have agreed and decided collectively, with the support of all the unions, to buy 43,000 bags 50kg rice at N1.935 million. The balance of N65 million will be used to support the logistics of PWDs, the widows and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) that live in the camps in Kaduna.

“We are going to be transparent, because I also am part of the labour movement. All we need is transparency and accountability; that is the way we can win the support and confidence of our people. The people seated here representing different trade unions are the people that are close to the downtrodden, that is the reason we allow them to drive the process.”

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman, Kaduna chapter, Ayuba Sulaiman, at the briefing, commended the governor for his inclusive approach by engaging with key stakeholders in the distribution of palliatives to the people of Kaduna. Sulaiman also lauded the committee for prioritising the most vulnerable and underserved groups as beneficiaries of the palliative.