Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has revealed that in the coming days over 4000 SMEs identified by the government, including other vulnerable persons who have been included in the ongoing financial inclusion programme, will benefit from a N4.2billion palliative intervention to ease the burdens caused by the removal of fuel subsidy and the rising cost of inflation.
Governor Sani made this known during an interview on Television Continental News(TVC) on 19th February 2024,where he responded to questions ranging from the current economic realities in Nigeria, rocketing food prices,rising cost of living , and efforts by his administration to ameliorate the hardship on the people of Kaduna State.
Responding to questions about his reaction to recent protests by citizens against the current economic situation, Governor Sani stated that “There has not been any uprising in Kaduna State over this issue because we’ve been working with the organized labour,market women and even NGOs, especially with my antecedent as a civil rights activist.
Prior to these latest agitations ,I predicted that this situation may come up. That’s why I am the only Governor that signed an Executive Order on Financial Inclusion,to bring about 2.5 million vulnerable,underserved people back into the financial services sector.
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We have also been able to organize about 4200 SMEs in Kaduna State and in the next one week we have decided to support them with palliatives worth about N4.2Billion, which will also go directly to vulnerable households and some small businesses that we have captured.
Additionally, over 1.5m people have been brought back into the financial sector since the signing of the Executive Order on Financial Inclusion in Kaduna state” Governor Sani said.
Governor Sani highlighted that the initiative was a joint effort by stakeholders such as the organized labour, market women, people living with disabilities ,small holder farmers, religious and community leaders.
“We are proactive in Kaduna State and that is why the Labour Unions are supportive of what we are doing because we run an open government.
Even before the budget presentation to the Kaduna State House of Assembly, we held town halls where I insisted that we can not decide on what we will do for the people of Kaduna, without their direct input. Also at the townhalls,we emphasized the decision to run an open government and that’s the reason why we budgeted N22Billion for agriculture the first in the history of Kaduna and this was based on the input we received directly from our people and this is why we are on the same page with our people. “ Governor Sani added.
