Subsidy Removal: Less Privileged, SMEs to Benefit from Jigawa Govt Palliative Scheme

The Jigawa State Government has implemented palliatives to lessen the effects of the removal of fuel subsidies on residents of the state, including business owners of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Mr. Sagir Musa, the state’s commissioner for information, youths, sports, and culture, spoke to reporters about the decisions made at the State Executive Council meeting in Dutse, the state’s capital,

Musa reported that the state government had approved N134 million for the purchase of five trucks of rice to be given to those who were less privileged.

He said the approval was intended to supplement the efforts of the federal government, which gave five trucks of rice to the state government for distribution as a palliative to lessen the impact of the removal of fuel subsidies.

“The executive council has discussed the Federal Government’s intervention with five trucks of rice that were delivered through SEMA and distributed throughout the 27 LGAs as a palliative to lessen the impact of the removal of fuel subsidies.

Food prices and other commodities have increased as a result of the removal.

“The council has also approved the purchase of additional five trucks of rice at a cost of N134 million to cover more beneficiaries,” he said.

The commissioner continued by saying that the council had also thought about and approved a different empowerment program for 1,500 young business owners operating in the state’s 27 LGAs.

Every beneficiary will receive N50,000 from him, he said, to help them grow their businesses.

According to Musa, the state Youths Employment Agency will work in conjunction with the Ministry of Information, Youths, Sports, and Culture to carry out the program.

He added that the council had decided to fund 1,000 SMEs with N100,000 each as part of its J-Cares program, which is backed by the World Bank.

However, the commissioner emphasized that only those SMEs that met the World Bank’s requirements—including being registered, having bank accounts, BVNs, and at least two employees—would benefit.

The state government will continue to implement policies and programs that will raise the standard of living for the state’s citizens, according to Musa.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the government approved N50 million at its first executive council meeting on July 26 for the empowerment of 1,000 women traders to lessen the impact of the removal of fuel subsidies on their businesses.