…says palliative is necessary because people are hungry

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has said that even though he personally prefers teaching his people how to catch fish rather than giving them fish, his administration embarked on distributing palliative because the people are hungry.

Governor Sule made this known when he appeared as a guest recently on Channels Television as monitored in Lafia.

According to the Governor, with his private sector background, he doesn’t believe in distributing food items and cash as palliative but rather prefers to provide opportunities where the people can work towards their self-reliance.

“I am from the private sector. I don’t believe in even this palliative but it’s absolutely necessary right now because people are hungry. I believe in creating opportunities for people so that they have their independence,” he said.

Giving examples of the efforts of his administration to provide opportunities for the citizens of the state, Governor Sule recalled that recently, 30 graduates with first class degrees from the Federal University of Lafia were given opportunity to learn skills at the Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Vocational and Technical Institute Lafia, after which they were provided with working capital to start their businesses.

The Governor added that with the improved revenue from the federation allocation following the removal of fuel subsidy, his administration is poised to directly impact on the living standards of the people through the creation of opportunities.

“I believe that people should not be given fish all the time. They should be taught how to fish. That is the reason why I got into trouble a lot with some people in Nasarawa State because I made this statement. But that is my background. That is my training. That is how I was brought up in the private sector, to teach people how to become self-reliant.

“You have seen recently where 30 graduating students with first class degrees we thought them some skills before we gave them working capital. Just few days ago, I also gave working capital to some farmers so that they can go and do more rice.

“We are buying more fertilizers to give to our farmers. We are working with the Bank of Industry to provide our youths with more working capital,” he stated.

Governor Sule reiterated that his administration would continue to provide palliative to the people as a temporary solution to the present hardship being experienced by the people.

“Palliative is necessary because people are terribly hungry. No matter how bad I feel about it, we must do it. People are hungry especially during this Holy month of Ramadan which is also the month of lent for our Christian brothers and sisters,” he stated.