Agro-dealers may stage protest against 39billion naira

Agro- Dealers

There are indications that input providers under the umbrella Agro-Dealer Association of Nigeria (GESAAN)  might stage another protest  for the none payment of 39 billon naira being the  balance payment for the input supplied for agricultural farming seasons in the last and present administrations under the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES).

If this promise is kept, this will be the second time the agro dealers protest in the year 2017 alone as the first one took them to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) with placards carrying inscription like “NO farmers no nation” “Buhari save GES” and “pay us our 2014 to 2017 inputs payment with many others.

A source who disclosed to food farm news said that the nonpayment of a N39 Billion outstanding debt owed them by the Federal Government till date has affected their business negatively, as many of them are yet to be paid after they had helped the FG through the FMARD in solving the problems of farm inputs  distribution through the GES programme in the past few years to farmers, pointed the non-payment has also hindered being able to supply to his community and its environs which may hinder future food supplies in such areas.

 
Another source said that the April-May protest had not yielded any positive result that would make the impact of food shortage against next year reduced saying the lip service of the government cannot take them to anywhere asking president Muhammudu Buhari to prevail over the situation so as to match words with action about using agriculture for economic diversification.

 Finding reveals that lack of fund had been the reason for none payment of this  debt as a source in the ministry disclosed that most of the agro-dealers who supplied during the past exercise presently had no fund to re-stock their stores due to the lack of payment from 2014-2017, which as a result may lead to food shortage in the communities that did not get inputs.