Borno gov’t provides buses, pick-up vans for farmers’ transportation

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, on Tuesday, released 80 buses and pick-up vans for free transportation of farmers from their communities to farmlands to help cushion the high cost of living caused by fuel subsidy removal and ensure security on the highway.

The 80 vehicles comprise 50 luxurious buses to be allocated from the fleet of the Borno Express Corporation, a state-owned transport company, while the state 30 pick-up vans will be hired and provided by the state government.

“Due to the removal of fuel subsidy which although has a long-term benefit, cost of transportation has increased. Therefore, Borno State Government has decided to provide 50 buses (and 30 pick-up vans) to convey farmers to their farmlands this rainy season”, Zulum said.

Meanwhile, Governor Zulum while addressing thousands of farmers, urged them to cooperate with soldiers, Police, and other security agencies deployed to roads to protect citizens including farmers who go to the outskirts to access their farmlands.

“I’m here not to undermine the effort of the Nigerian Army, but to make things easy for the generality of people of Borno State. For this, the Nigerian army should devise methods of surveillance to reduce the hardship.

“Rainy season has a short span, a maximum of three months, screening each and sundry would take at least four hours, and this is never possible. I’m urging the Nigerian Army to look into the possibility of allowing the farmers to go into their farmlands to farm on time because food insecurity is the worst form of insecurity.

“We must address the challenges of insecurity, the root causes of insecurity which include poverty, infrastructural deficit, climate vulnerabilities, and so on. So, we should allow these farmers access to their farms” he said.

“I want to urge you (farmers) to give maximum support and cooperation to the Nigerian Military. They (soldiers) are here to protect you”, Zulum said.

The governor expressed gratitude to the military for their sacrifices in protecting Borno’s people which is now enabling farming activities across the state.

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