The Katsina State Government on Wednesday confirmed receipt of ₦2 billion out of the ₦5 billion palliative approved to the states by the Federal Government.
Dr Bala Salisu-Zango, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Culture and Home Affairs made the clarification while reacting to insinuation that the federal government released ₦5 billion to the state.
He said that: “The attention of the state government has been drawn to news going round in the media that ₦5 billion has been released to states by the Federal Government for palliative.
“I wish to state that, Katsina State Government received only ₦2 billion for procurement of grain to be distributed to the citizens of the state.”
Salisu-Zango said the state government had so far utilised ₦2 billion to procure 40,000 bags of rice for distribution to vulnerable persons in all the polling units across the state.
He said the government would also utilise the next tranche of the fund from the federal government to purchase maize for distribution to deserving households.
He warned that the state government would punish anyone found wanting in the palliative distribution exercise.