We didn’t receive N5bn as palliative from FG – Katsina govt

According to the Katsina State Government, the state only received N2 billion from the federal government’s palliative programme, not the N5 billion as was previously reported. This money was used to purchase cereals, which were then distributed to the state’s citizens.

During a news conference on Wednesday, Mr. Bala Salisu-Zango, the state’s commissioner of information, culture, and home affairs, claimed that the funds had been utilised to purchase and were being disbursed to further bring relief to the suffering populace in the state.

Zango said the federal government had originally planned to spend N5 billion on buying rice, maize, and fertiliser to disperse to the states.

It was determined, however, after discussions with state governors, that the money should go directly to the states in order to speed up the procurement process and stimulate local businesses.

The decision to gradually distribute the cash to the states was made so that they might be used for the purchase of rice and maize.

He further said that the Central Bank of Nigeria had been ordered to disperse the money to the states in the form of a soft loan, of which the federal government would be responsible for repaying 52% and the states for the remaining 48% over the course of a year.

According to Zango, Governor Dikko Radda has ordered the state to spend the N2 billion it received on 40,000 bags of rice, which would be distributed to all voting places in the state.

According to the Katsina Information Commissioner, this comes after Governor Radda ordered all local government councils in the state to buy and distribute maize to inhabitants for free.

Zango also advised locals to be calm, promising them that the state administration would purchase and distribute corn as soon as the next round of cash arrived from the federal government.