BY MUSA IDRIS UMAR, JULY 28, 2025 | 09:20 PM
Over fifty-seven thousand households in Gamboru Ngala Local Government Area are set to receive food palliatives from the Borno State Government.
This intervention aims to ease the hardship faced by 57,647 families during the current lean season, as the administration continues to provide targeted aid to communities still grappling with security challenges that prevent full engagement in agricultural activities.
Gamboru Ngala and Kala Balge stand as the only two local government areas in Borno where routine palliative distributions are being sustained.
This targeted approach is a direct response to their unique circumstances, contrasting with Governor Zulum's broader policy shift earlier this year, which saw a 90% reduction in palliative distributions across most other insurgency-affected LGAs.
That earlier decision prioritized empowerment and self-reliance, with resources rechanneled into long-term development programs.
Speaking through the Director-General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Ali Abdullahi Isa, on Monday said, governor Zulum reiterated his administration’s firm commitment to supporting Gamboru Ngala residents in their eventual return to farming – a critical component for sustainable livelihood.
'Our decision to halt palliative distributions in most local government areas was informed by last year’s bumper harvest,' Gov. Zulum conveyed.
'However, due to the peculiar challenges in Gamboru Ngala and Kala Balge, we will continue providing aid to cushion hardship.'
The Governor emphasized that this assistance is temporary.
'This intervention is temporary. We are collaborating with security agencies to ensure residents return to farming, as agriculture remains key to economic empowerment and livelihood,' he said.
This highlights the state's strategic intent to transition communities from humanitarian aid dependence to economic self-sufficiency, leveraging the region's agricultural potential once security is fully restored.
He also urged beneficiaries to offer continuous prayers for lasting peace across Borno State and the entire nation, alongside hopes for a bountiful harvest in the ongoing cropping season.
Each of the 57,647 benefiting households will receive a substantial package, comprising a 25kg bag of rice and a 25kg bag of maize.
The extensive distribution is systematically being carried out across six designated centers within the LGA: Ngala Town, GG Gamboru, Gamboru Ajari, Arabic Camp, International Camp, and Kasuwan Shanu.