FG Debunks E-Wallet Scrap

The Federal Government has refuted the rumors going the round that it had scrapped the Electronic Wallet Scheme.

An impeccable source from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, told AgroNigeria that they were oblivious of such directive.

“We’re unaware of such directive here. E-Wallet is the engine room of the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS); unless the Federal Government wants to scrap GESS, then it could contemplate on scrapping it”, the source said.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government had recently reiterated its commitment to a sustainable agricultural sector that could boast of raising the incomes of the rural populace; while underpinning the national economy.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Arc. Sonny Echono disclosed this while declaring open a staff training programme on innovative Collaboration for Development (CTA) in Abuja.

Echono said the ministry is determined to strengthen the staffers’ capacity development and maintain its online presence and relationship with the Nigerian public. He said the ministry is ready, as always, to play an effective role in influencing policy development processes thereby supporting the development of effective value chains.

He declared that the ministry has through the use of ICT built a vibrant agriculture in Nigeria and cleaned decades of corruption in the fertilizer sector through the Electronic Wallet Scheme.

According to him, Nigeria is the first country in Africa to develop the Electronic Wallet System through which farm inputs are delivered directly to farmers via electronic vouchers on their mobile phones, adding that within two years, the e-wallet system reached 6.4 million farmers and helped improve the food security of 30 million people.