Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina state says the Federal Government had spent over N45 billion on various social intervention programmes to improve the lives of vulnerable people in the state.
The governor revealed this on Tuesday, while launching the Katsina Health Workers’ Plaza and Guest House built by the state Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN).
He said that the social intervention programmes introduced by President Muhammadu Buhari had significantly tackled vulnerability and supported the most vulnerable households in the northern states.
“Going by our culture and tradition here in the northern part of the country, the older you become the more responsibilities you shoulder because we have no social security system.
“The extended family system is the only social security net we have until recently when President Buhari started introducing social interventions.
“This is the foundation for social security where there is direct support to the most vulnerable people of at least N5,000 each per month.
“In those social interventions alone, the federal government as of July this year, spent over N45 billion in Katsina state.
“I want you to imagine what would have been with COVID-19, insecurity and the fall in the price of oil, what the situation would have been.” he imagined.
Masari added that the state government is spending N1.2 billion monthly on the payment of pensions for local governments and state retirees, and that he planned to clear all arrears of pensions and gratuities before the expiration of his tenure in 2023.
In his own address, the National President of MHWUN, Biobelemoye Josiah, urged the government to work towards curtailing the challenges of climate change, in order to safeguard the lives of Nigerians.
Josiah, represented by the Deputy National President of the Union, Kabir Minjibir, stated that if climate change was left unchecked, it would degenerate to unprepared labour migration, food shortages and dilapidated health conditions.
He donated the sum of N1.5 million to the Katsina state council, on behalf of the national body of the union, to support its milestone developments.
Earlier, the MHWUN Chairman in Katsina, Mr. Mannir Suleiman said that the plaza had nine shops, rooms and parlour with self-contained toilet each, while the guest house consists of five self-contained rooms.
As part of the union’s other achievements, Suleiman stated that the union had provided foodstuffs and drugs to internally displaced persons in Batsari and other frontline Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, among other social interventions.
“We were able to provide financial assistance to union members, particularly to those who wished to further their studies, both at home and abroad.
“And also the provision of medical assistance and donation of food/sanitary items to the orphanage home and vulnerable groups.
“Also, we provided of financial assistance to our members who fell sick or were victims of any disaster”, Suleiman said
