Kebbi To Prosecute Rice , Wheat Loan Defaulters
Kebbi State Government has constituted a mobile court to prosecute rice and wheat farmers who collect the anchor borrower’s loan from the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) of which the State Government stood as guarantor.
The State Deputy Governor Col. Samaila Yombe Dabai (rtd) after inaugurating the team headed by a Chief Magistrate led the team to Suru town in Suru Local Government Area to demand for the repayment of the loan and prosecutes possible defaulters.
The State Government has given the rice and wheat farmers that were given loan by the Bank of Agriculture under the Anchor Borrowers Programme in Suru local government area of the state up to three weeks to pay back or face prosecution.
Over 11,000 farmers benefitted from the loan in Suru area of the state but the State Government and officials of Bank of Agriculture have been having some difficulties since last year in getting the farmers to pay back the loan. A loan of N128, 200 was given to each of the farmers to produce rice and wheat under the federal government sponsored agricultural programme.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after his meeting with the District Head of Suru town over the recovery of the loan, the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Samaila Yombe Dabai explained that the State Governor because of his campaign promises to the people to transform the state in the area of agriculture, in collaboration with the Federal government stood as guarantor for the loan to be disbursed to the farmers mostly the rice farmers.
He explained further that it has become very unfortunate that the state government has to resort to legal action to get the money back from the farmers after series of persuasion and emissaries through the village and District Heads, all to no avails.
The Deputy Governor however expressed that because of the intervention and plea from the Council Chairman and the District Head, he has decided to to stay action on prosecuting defaulters and giving them the three weeks grace which the District Head pleaded for on their behalf to pay back the money.