The
Kwara Chapter of Cassava Growers
Association of Nigeria has made it clear that its members had not
benefitted from the N1billion Federal Government Agriculture Loan Scheme in the
state.
The
secretary of the association, Mr. Sunday
Moses, made this known while speaking with newsmen in llorin, the state
capital. He said that his members had acquired lands to cultivate cassava in
large quantities and opened bank accounts in response to the request from the
state government.
According
to Moses, the state government has disbursed N1billion to 500 others small
scale farmers and 40 commercial farmers in the state. He alleged that the
agriculture loan was received by the state government from the Federal
Government on behalf of 2000 farmers, which included 500 cassava growers. He
expressed regret that none of his members benefited from the loan scheme.
Moses
said that about 500 members of the association had opened accounts with the
Union Bank in line with the state government’s directive, adding that his
members had been in the process of securing the loan for about one and half
years now, but nothing had been forthcoming. “Five
hundred members of our association have done the necessary things and submitted
necessary documents, but it is surprising when the commissioner for agriculture
said there was no provision for them,” he said. Moses appealed to the
state government to consider the interest of his members of as they were part
of the 2000 farmers that the loan scheme was meant for.
In his
reaction, Mr. Anu Ibiwoye, the
Special Adviser to state governor, Abdulfatah
Ahmed, on Agriculture, said the state was yet to receive the N1billion loan
meant for cassava farmers in the state. He said the opening of account with the
Union Bank was just one of the conditions of taking the loan, adding that the
cassava growers in the state were yet to meet other conditions to access the
loan. He gave an assurance that the state government would release the fund as
soon as the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN disbursed it to the state.
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