ABUJA – The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagement (Northwest), Abdullahi Yakasai, has mounted a vigorous defense of the current administration’s policies, asserting that strategic federal interventions are successfully cushioning the economic effects of recent reforms.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Arise TV, Yakasai pointed to a series of targeted distributions and policy shifts that he claims have begun to stabilize the country’s volatile food market and social sectors.
Food Security and Market Stability
Central to the Presidency’s relief strategy is the direct injection of resources into the agricultural and consumer sectors. Yakasai revealed that the federal government has completed the distribution of 20 trucks of rice to each of the 36 states to provide immediate relief to vulnerable households.
To ensure long-term sustainability, the administration also dispatched 20 trucks of fertilizer per state to bolster local farming. Yakasai highlighted a specific boost for the Northwest, noting that Kano State received an additional 20 trucks of fertilizer to further drive down production costs.
”The prices of food have really crashed down,” Yakasai stated, attributing the trend to these deliberate interventions. “This government has brought about a significant reduction in the cost of food staples in the market.”
Healthcare and Education Reforms
The presidential aide also underscored major milestones in the health and education sectors, describing them as “game changers” for the Nigerian masses.
- Dialysis Subsidy: In a landmark move to assist citizens with chronic kidney disease, the government has slashed the cost of dialysis at federal teaching hospitals by approximately 75%. Reports indicate costs have dropped from roughly N50,000 to N12,000 per session.
- Student Loan Scheme: Yakasai praised the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), noting that the scheme has successfully kept thousands of students in school who would have otherwise dropped out due to financial constraints. To date, NELFUND has reportedly disbursed over N11 billion to thousands of beneficiaries.
- Primary Healthcare: He confirmed the recent nationwide recruitment of primary healthcare workers to bridge the gap in local government health service delivery.
Security and Infrastructure
Addressing the security situation in the North, Yakasai lauded the efforts of security agencies, claiming that over 11,000 kidnapped persons have been successfully rescued.
He specifically highlighted the Abuja-Kaduna road, a corridor once notorious for banditry. According to Yakasai, the security architecture has improved to the point where commuters can now “travel by night” with renewed confidence. This safety update coincides with ongoing federal inspections of the Zaria-Gusau-Sokoto dual carriageway, a massive project aimed at boosting commercial links within the Northwest.
While acknowledging the challenges that remain, Yakasai maintained that the “Renewed Hope” agenda is yielding tangible results that are beginning to reflect in the pockets and safety of ordinary Nigerians.
Tinubu Administration Impact on Food Staples
This video provides the original context of Abdullahi Yakasai’s interview where he details the rice and fertilizer distribution and its impact on market prices.
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