30th September, 2013
The Bank of Agriculture (BOA) is to disburse N1.44 billion to cassava farmers in Sokoto State, northwest Nigeria.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Arzika Tureta, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Sokoto.
Tureta said that a total of 7,000 farmers, drawn from the 23 local government areas of the state, had been registered under the umbrella of the Cassava Growers Association of Nigeria.
“The state government has since paid N178.5 million as its equity contribution for the loans scheme.
“Out of the amount, N35 million was paid for the registration of the cassava farmers, who will benefit from the loan,” he added.
He said that the ministry has set up a committee to ensure that the beneficiaries were genuine farmers from the state.
“All hands are on deck to ensure the commencement of disbursement of the loans as soon as possible.
“The aims of the gesture were to boost food security, curb youths restiveness and reduce poverty, as well as unemployment, among others,” he said.
Tureta advised the beneficiaries to use the money for the purpose it was meant, to sustain the laudable objectives of the scheme.