The federal government has been called to prevail on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to remove middlemen in its Anchor Borrowers Loan Programme to farmers as they are impediments to renewed determination by government to empower agriculturists for improved productivity and attainment of food sufficiency in the country.
The call was made by Mr. John Ihesinaulo, the President of United Ufuoma Fish Farmers Association, Ekpan, Uvwie local government area of Delta state, while speaking with journalists in Warri, Delta state.
According to him, the activities of middlemen in the Anchor Borrowers Loan were a disservice to farmers.
Mr. Ihesinaulo stated that no matter how good the agricultural policy or intentions of government may be, the realization of the policy may be far from being realized as the engagement of agents and middlemen who now demand huge sums of money before they could benefit was frustrating good intentions of the present administration.
A cassava farmer
“The federal government has taken the right step by asking people to go into farming as it would help in food sufficiency drive of the government.
“But government should take a step further to empower existing farmers. Paper policy will not take us anywhere but going down the grassroots to identify existing farmers for empowerment, to me is the best thing that will yield the desired result.
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“We are aware of the Central Bank of Nigeria Anchor Borrowers Loan but we are being frustrated out of the programme by middlemen who demand for huge sums of money all in the name of trying to help us secure the loan.
“Of what essence is the loan if it is out of reach of those it is meant to serve. Contractors are asking for too much from us. You can’t give an individual money and ask the group to pay collectively.
“Having said that, I want to use this medium to call on the federal government to prevail on Central Bank of Nigeria to jettison the idea of middlemen as they are doing more harm than good.
“Government is empowering contractors not farmers. Contractors are asking for too much. I must tell you that the programme is not feasible. It will be more favourable to government if they pass through the cooperatives and deal directly with them,” Ihesinaulo stated.
Fresh fish
The President of Ufuoma Fish Farmers Association, a model in the sub West African region with over 600 farmers operating in a cluster, told our correspondent that his association is capable of meeting 70% of protein needs of Deltans if given the desired support.
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Apart from creating employment for the teeming unemployed Nigerians thereby depopulating the already saturated labour market, he advised Nigerians who are still waiting for unavailable white collar jobs to have a rethink and buy into government’s call to go into agriculture.
Ihesinaulo called on state governments to compliment what the federal government is currently doing and support agriculture. He appealed to governments at all levels to back their policies with action as Nigeria has the best policies on paper but poor implementation.
He expressed gratitude to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state for mediating in the crisis between his association and Ekpan youths, assuring that his group is doing everything possible to keep its side of the memorandum of understanding entered recently with host community.
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