Godwin Emefiele, Central Bank of Nigeria Governor. |
*only N600 m
out of N14 billion recovered
The Central
Bank of Nigeria may have recorded a very low repayment of N14 billion loan
given to cooperative farmers under the 2015 dry season Anchor programme that was
launched by President Mohammudu Buhari at Kebbi state .
Unlike
Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) which its first tranche of operation in 2012
recorded 100% recovery from farmers through payment at the redemption camp,
only N600 million have been recovered in just one state which is Kebbi at the
time of filing this report.
Food Farm News’ finding revealed that the subsequent
leg of the ABP to increase food production may have been put in a tight corner
as monies to be given as soft loan to continue the programme are still pending
in the hands of farmers who have sold their produce to the open market at
higher prices, without paying back the borrowed money.
It was
gathered that many other challenges came up which may have hindered the
expected performance of the ABP as stakeholders were asking why the second tranche
of the program is yet to take off.
Other questions
that people have been asking are –Do farmers comply with delivery process tied
to anchor processing companies? What are the steps taken for the cases of non-compliance?
What is the procedure of agro suppliers’ payment in ABP? Who pays for the town hall
meeting? How timely is the release of funds to meeting farmers’ planting
season? How many farmers have Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) and how many
states establish farmers’ court to checkmate anomalies?
A source,
who spoke on condition of anonymity told our correspondent that although the
CBN ABP guidelines for 2016 spelt out a well-articulated programme intended to
create a linkage between anchor companies involved in processing and small holders’
farmers of the required key agricultural commodities with provision of inputs
in kind and cash for farm labour to boost production, and stabilize inputs to
agro processors thereby addressing the country’s negative balance of import
food payment, all these are mere paper work as there were many anomally in the
implementation process as inputs are not timely delivered as many of the agro
dealers did not have financial standing to procure for stock as many of them
are being owned by the federal government Growth Enhancement Programme, and the
seed companies feel reluctant to release their products on credit.
But findings
by FoodFarmNews revealed that the
increase in the prices of rice and sorghum in the market places may have caused
the breaches within the farmers and the Anchor off takers as the initial
agreement of N14, 000.00 per bag of wheat is not too comfortable with the
reality of price at the open market which is N42.000.00 just as high demand forpaddy
rice by processors shot up based on market demand.
Although the
meeting between the flour millers and the wheat farmers scheduled to take place
last week could not, but it was gathered that talks to reach amicable agreement
is already on going as appeal has gone to Federal Government to intervene in
the interest of farmers.
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