The Jigawa State Government said that it will take all the necessary action against any defaulter as the Central Bank of Nigeria disburses N4b loan to rice farmers in the state.
Governor Badaru Abubakar stated this at the official distribution of 2021 dry season rice farming input, in Dutse.
He said the President Muhammad Buhari-led administration has introduced a number of initiatives to improve yields and provide farmers with new farming techniques to boost food production in the country.
The governor explained that in the last two years, Jigawa State Government has refunded over 700 million naira to the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN following the supply of substandard wheat seeds to farmers under the anchor borrowers programme.
“If there is any problem we will know that is why insurance was introduced into the program”
Badaru, therefore, said that the state government will take strict action on anybody who refuses to pay back the loan, urging the beneficiaries to repay for others to benefit.
“The money is not Badaru’s, Buhari’s or Central Bank of Nigeria’s money; it is for all Nigerians, therefore, whoever received it must pay back after the harvest,” he noted.
The Program Coordinator, Central bank of Nigeria, Dutse branch, Alh Abdu Amadu, said the Bank has disbursed about four billion naira to rice farmers under the anchor borrower programme in the state.
He, therefore, called on the state ministries, agencies and other stakeholders to cooperate with the bank on loan recovery.
On his part, Chairman of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN, commended President Muhammad Buhari, Governor Muhammad Badaru and governors of Kebbi State for their efforts and support to improve farming activities in the country.
