(Minna)
Maize Farmers Association of Nigeria (MFAN), Niger state chapter, has rejected the distribution process adopted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the distribution of its Anchor Borrowers’ loan scheme to boost their production in 2020 farming season.
Duaglobalnews reports that the rejection followed a brief protest by the MFAN members in Chanchaga Local Government Council, insisting that the process and conditions attached to the CBN, Anchor Borrowers loan for members in the current cropping season ‘was highly unfavouable’.
The online publication recalls that members of MFAN had, during the distribution of materials/ inputs for the beneficiaries in Chanchaga (Minna), where they were asked to deposit N3, 000 each in a designated account in Unity Bank for logistics, resisted the move.
The 91 beneficiaries out of the 143 membership of MFAN at the venue for the distribution vehemently rejected the offer and questioned attached conditions that include; repayment with farm produce of not less than 30 bags per hectare and a deposit of N20,000 in the account.
Each of the beneficiaries, according to the new order, must swear to affidavit in court to ensure repayment, hence bringing the total loan package is N166, 000 per hectare.
The repayment also include fertilizer, herbicides, seeds and others under EOP to be paid back with seeds after harvest that might be split into two cropping seasons.
A member of the association, Usman Kwotu said, “The condition is unacceptable to us and we condemn the entire process in its totality, because no farmer can meet up with the demands with this current template as prices of the items are not in consonance with the reality”.
Kwotu, who accused some officials of MFAN of hijacking the entire loan process to the benefits of themselves and their few cronies, wondered why beneficiaries would be compelled to swear to an affidavit in Court for procedures that has been in existence over time now.
“This is supposed to be in clusters but it is the contrary in our operations,” he said adding that the good intentions of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration on agricultural policy would be dashed if the new order is allowed to continue.
Kwotu, who expressed fear of consequences of the condition on food production and farming generally this year in Niger state said farmers in the state, if given the enabling environment could feed the country with better machinery put in place to actualize set objectives.
The Secretary of the association, Malam Adamu Jibrin, in his response to the peaceful protest however argued that most of the beneficiaries had their training earlier and agreed on the conditions as stipulated.
The CBN loan, according to Jibrin is “just 9% interest loan Programme and should be appreciated.”
He assured members of the association that the prices of the materials given would be deducted from the total package and balance to be given to the beneficiaries, adding that the N3,000 deposit was for the transportation of those goods, store and security of the materials to date
Swearing of Court affidavit, he said wad aimed at ensuring repayment of the loan by the beneficiaries who had insurance cover for the programme
Jibrin further emphasized that during the said training, many of the MFAN members were made to understand that a hectare can produce between 60-80 bags of produce, adding such would bring good benefit to each of the farmers.
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